All My Friends At Sea is a five-piece metalcore band from Sunshine Coast, Australia. Their new release entitled A World Without Strangers was released on September 14th via RTD Records.
The EP starts off very cliché (yet another band using the famous Charlie Chaplin quote from ‘The Great Dictator’), but it quickly takes a turn for the better. As soon as the vocals came in after the soundclip on “The Struggle Within”, I thought that they were very reminiscent of Northlane, which is a very good thing. Actually, the entire EP reminds me of Northlane’s Hollow Existence.
Not only are the vocals immaculate, but the drumming and guitar riffs and leads are well above the average metalcore standards. The vocals are very strong throughout the entire 22 minutes that A World Without Strangers spans, as are the guitar riffs and leads. With that being said, some of the songs stand out more than others instrumentally. “Unite & Thrive/Divide & Die”, “Lions Of The Left”, and “Fear The Outsiders” had me shivering because of how spectacular everything sounded.
Another impressive aspect of A World Without Strangers is the title track. It’s a nice change of pace, and while it doesn’t feature anything abnormal, it’s a spectacular interlude that leads into the strongest track on the album perfectly. “Fear The Outsiders” immediately picks up the pace and the remainder of the track and EP is an onslaught of excellent riffs, hard (at times, fast) drumming, and powerful vocals. “Fear The Outsiders” also features a very calming ambient passage near the middle of the track that sets the stage for an epic climax.
Yes, it has been done before. Yes, it is similar to a few of their compatriots. But most importantly, A World Without Strangers is still an exceptional release that is bound to raise several eyebrows. If you’re a fan of Northlane, In Hearts Wake, or Prepared Like A Bride (arguably three of the best up-and-coming Australian metalcore acts), I suggest that you add All My Friends At Sea to your list of awesome Aussie bands to jam.
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