Whatuppppp guys! Today I have the pleasure of writing for one of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio’s immensely talented upcoming bands In A Broken World. (Cfalls happens to be my hometown! #REPRESENT!!) If you’re into thought provoking lyrics, gorgeous screaming as well as vocals, AND a heavy dose of metal – these guys are the band for you. In A Broken World was formed back in March of 2014 by a great group of dudes, one of which happens to be my dear friend (and vocalist!) CJ. Just saying right now – I know this kids speaking voice like the back of my hand, and the things he can do vocally and screaming wise are so impressive! As you guys well know…mama likes her screamo. I was lucky enough to have a copy of their debut EP “For Those Like You” burned right in front of me by CJ in my beloved Starbucks…it was very legit. 😉 More importantly, I was absolutely blown away by their music while I was playing it on the way to school. Best believe that some head banging occurred in the Little Red Love Machine! “For Those Like You” is only four songs long, but that was long enough to get a great feel for who these guys are as a band and what to expect for albums to come.
The EP game starts out strong, opening with the three minute banger “Charade”, which offers one of my favorite things that a metal song can do, which is provide a break in the screaming and go into some stunning vocalizing. It was very Of Mice & Men-esque. One of the great things about In A Broken World’s Facebook page (which I will provide!) is that they provide all of their lyrics for those of you who can’t understand the screaming, so I really enjoyed reading through everything that these guys had to say. “Charade” boasts some lyrical winners such as: “I want to run from all the lies, and get lost inside my mind.” Very nice. What I was particularly struck by while listening to all of their songs, was how completely solid the band is as a whole. Everything from the insane guitaring, drumming, and vocals were SO in synch with each other. The amount of practice and hard work that went into all of these tracks is beyond evident. There was not one point when I was listening to “For Those Like You” that I detected the slightest hint of sloppiness, whether it be in the music itself or the production of it. That’s definitely saying a lot, because I’ve heard many a local bands EP albums that sound like they were straight up recorded on someones phone. The level of professionalism in the production of “For Those Like You” is very impressive for a fairly new local band.
The following song “For Those Like You” is one that I’m particularly excited for. When I spoke to CJ a few days ago, this was the one track that held the deepest meaning to him and it’s so evident through the emotional content of the song. A major shout out is in order for the guitarists of In A Broken World, Daniel and Cody because they absolutely annihilate this track. And PLEASE don’t even get me going on the drumming by Brad, because this kid holds it down and provides such a solid base for all of the songs. Do yourselves a favor and read the lyrics as you’re listening to this track, because like I said – the emotional content is ALL there. These words invoke the feeling of disappointment (which is something that I hate the most) so perfectly:
You said you were OK
You said you were happy
You’re lying to yourself
You made a big mistake
^I love that one!
I’m not sure if you guys are aware of this, but there’s a celebrity appearance made on “The Unfaithful” by none other than the legend himself….Ron Burgundy. #stayclassy The track opens with a message from the mustached myth which I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at in amusement. Once you’re done having a chuckle, let’s just talk about the vocals on this track – because I find them the strongest on this song. The ranges that are hit on top of the fast pace of the track earns a tip of the cap from Lil Red. “The Unfaithful” offers a lot of really classic metal sounds, particularly in the guitars that I appreciated. I actually got a strong System Of A Down vibe from this track thanks to the high pitched screaming that I love so very much, so that was a nice touch.
“For Those Like You” closes with the second longest song “The River of Lies”, which is my personal favorite. Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Dance Club Massacre and this song definitely reminded me of them. My whole thing with metal music is that there has to be constant change ups in the sound in general for me to appreciate it. I can’t stand when bands stick to one particular sound of screaming or instrumentals, and I also can’t stand when the transition into different sounds isn’t sharp. When it gets to that point, all it sounds like is noise to me. In A Broken World defies all of these pet peeves in a maturity well beyond their not even a year of playing together. Their transitions are SO smooth, like BUTTA! “The River of Lies” ends this short and sweet EP on such a high note and closes the album with the appropriate lyrics of:
Let’s finish out strong together
I’ll help you put the pieces back
This is not the end for you.
^If that’s not motivation to get up and do something…or at least head bang a little – then I don’t know what is.
In A Broken World’s Facebook page provides you with some great photos from previous shows, band updates, and videos and can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/inabrokenworldofficial I urge all of you to give them a like and send them your support from wherever you are in the world!
ALSO, the link to their bandcamp page is: http://inabrokenworld.bandcamp.com/album/for-those-like-you In A Broken World’s EP “For Those Like You” is available for download and if you wish to purchase it, you can name your price for how much you’re willing to spend. In the words of CJ “you could buy the album for sixty-nine cents.” – What a deal!
In A Broken World’s next show will be happening on February 15th, so make sure you go on their Facebook page and wish them luck! What did you think of “For Those Like You”? What is some constructive criticism you have for the band? We’d love to hear from you, so leave us a comment and let’s chat! Holla atcha girl. -Sarah
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