Ols School Review: All That Remains- This Darkened Heart
All that remains This Darkened Heart is the second release for the Massachusetts band on Prosthetic Records. With Behind Silence And Solitude three years under their belt they had established their name and sound. In 2003 it was time to mold that sound into a better barrage of metal mastery.
A line up change went into effect with the exit of Chris Bartlett (Guitars) and Dan Egan (Bass), and Producer Adam Dutkiewecz (Killswitch Engage) coming into the picture. Matt Deis came onto Bass and paino and this would be his only studio recording with the band. Unfortunately this would be the last record for Matt Bartlett on drums. As we all know in good bands, line-up changes either bring out the best of a band or contribute to the demise of it. This line-up change if anything made a more dynamic All That Remains.
The guitar duo of Oli Herbert and Mike Martin make for a great sound and these two work well together. The acoustic arrangements on the beginning of And Death In My Arms and Regret Not are amazing. The solos are great and the leads and rhythms on the entire cd can’t be touched.
Phil Labonte brought a more diverse vocal range to This Darkened Heart as opposed to the consistent low growling type vocals from Behind Silence And Solitude and I think that is what really makes this record the beginning of a great future for the band. (I hate to do the comparison but Brian Fair has nothing on Phil Labonte).
The 2006 follow up to This Darkened Heart, The Fall Of Ideals shows that All That Remains is here to stay. They will be getting back in the studio sometime in the near future and A new record will be expected in 2009.
This Darkened Heart is what got me into All That Remains in the first place. “Passion” and “Tattered On My Sleeve” amazed me and were my favorite songs until of course The Fall of Ideals was released. I have really high hopes that the next album is just as good or better, but considering that it’s ATR, I’m sure it won’t disappoint!
ATR