Metal Blade Records is known as the home of some downright "muscular" metal bands such as Cannibal Corpse, As I Lay Dying and Unearth. With the release of Phoenix Mourning's When Excuses Become Antiques, they have decided to dip their toes into the world of screamo. There is no mistaking Phoenix Mourning's screamo/emo leanings. Just take a look at their Myspace site and they fit the screamo/emo band look to a tee. These guys are clearly not spending a lot of time in a weight room. With lyrics like "I wear my heart on my sleeve to remind me/to cherish the moments that we have shared/a love so blissful and divine/with this hatred we have entwined they will never be confused for being the bastard offspring of Cannibal Corpse, the band whose new CD is simply titled Kill.

So the question becomes is this CD worth dropping hard earned cash on? If you are a fan of the screamo/emo genre, this record beats most of the weenie crap out there hands down.

 

First, the sound of this record is BIG, thanks to the knob twiddling of Tampa area legend Tom Morris. 

 

Second, these guys know how to write a damn hook and will have you singing along in no time.  Even a hardened metal-head will be bobbing along with a smile on his face to songs like "From Afar", "Niche" and "Etched".

 

Third, the musicianship is tight. The twin guitar attack from Ahmed Smith and Stephen Bowman might be among the fiercest in the genre.

 

Finally, vocalist Jeremiah Ruff eschews the whininess too often heard in this genre and actually sings. His singing voice is the strongest element of this band and really shines on a track like "Waiting for the King". Unfortunately, his screaming voice is the biggest downside to the band. It will take a couple of listens to acclimate to his screaming, which sounds like a black metal vocalist choking on a hairball. If they lose the screaming, this is a top-notch record, regardless of genre. With the screaming, its a strong record for a genre that is allegedly dying a slow, painful death.

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