Hailing from the mecca of today’s hardcore scene, One Year Later is another product of Lancaster, PA. Signed to CI Records, they recently released the full length album “The Sound of a Broken World.” They are about to embark on a tour with fellow Lancaster group Texas in July.
“The Sound of a Broken World” starts off with Absolution, which starts off heavy and exciting, and keeps it going through the fantastic chorus. The chorus is catchy and well placed, and the clean vocals, which in a lot of metalcore bands seem out of place, fit perfectly and complement the screams very well.
The second song, Paths, is also that perfect mix of heavy and well-orchestrated clean vocals. The breakdowns are abundant, bouncy, and transitioned particularly well in this track. The breakdown at the end of Paths might be the best one on the entire CD.
Shapeshifter, arguably the most popular song of the CD, is next. For me, Shapeshifter is catchy and bouncy, but uses way too many effects.I don’t see the need to put every popular effect on vocals, drums, guitars, and the rest of the kitchen sink into one song. If they cut down on the effects,this song would be more enjoyable, and even with them it is still quite good.
Deliverance is one track that I believe could use less clean vocals. Without them, this would easily be the heaviest track on the album,with crushing breakdowns and fast grooves throughout. The transition into the chorus is a little iffy, and if the continued screaming instead of switching to cleans, I think it would be better. The synth breakdown in the middle of thesong is incredibly good between two choruses.
The fifth track, Memories, is lacking for me. It seems to be a filler track, and the first song that isn’t catching my attention. The guitar solo in the middle of the song seems incredibly awkward and out of place,untrue of most other things on this CD. All together, probably the least interesting track. One minute into This Road, they have caught my attention again. A good guitar riff leading into a fast paced drum section is good enough to give this song a pass.
Interludes are something I dislike on most albums, and this one is no exception. It makes no sense, and should be deleted from the CD, as well as most other hardcore albums.
The title track, Sound of a Broken World, is next. This starts with a good breakdown, albeit the use of more unnecessary effects. The chorus is transitioned into well, and matches the rest of the song well.
The Cursed starts off well, with solid drumming. After the chorus, they throw a mildly confusing breakdown, followed by a badly effected chorus. Another song ruined by overproduction. The album ends with Lay In This Earth, which starts with quick, catchy guitar that transitions well into a bouncy breakdown. The rest of the song isn’t a strong ending to the CD, and a bit disappointing.
Altogether, this had the making of a great album. Through the first half of the album, this kept me interested every step of the way. I thought the album fell off a little at the end, but is still definitely going to be in my top rotation of music for a while.
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