Abandon All Ships - Geeving
Release Date: October 5, 2010
Record Label: Velocity/Rise Records
One word sums up how I feel about Abandon All Ships' debut full length on Velocity/Rise Records titled Geeving: disappointing. I'm not going to beat around the bush. I’m just going to cut to the chase. Everything about this album defines what everyone hates about the dreaded Rise Records. When AAS first released their self-titled EP independently, I couldn't help but realize a little potential in these guys. There was a lot missing from that EP that a major label could easily provide. Unfortunately, and tragically the aforementioned label was the one to swoop in and steal this Canadian sextet's chances of ever gaining respect.
Geeving is a ten song album featuring each song from their previous EP (with new names, new lengths, and new everything) and six new tracks. Of these new tracks, only one shows any promise at all, and that's only because of the Superman like guest appearance by Protest The Hero singer, Rody Walker. There to save the day. Other than that, to put it lightly, it's 5 new tracks of pure "autotunecore", synth-breakdown-synth-breakdown, let's-bob-up-and-down-and-move-our-legs-like-crabs-cause-it’s-cool nonsense, which add to three of the four old songs that don‘t break away from this trend. The only song that stands out to me is the first single "Take One Last Breath", formerly known as "Pedestrians is Another Word for Speed Bump".
Lead vocalist Angel Aita's forced growls sound so dull, flat, and boring that a kick to the gut would suffice to try and get this guy to get some force and command in his screams. Only in “Take One Last Breath” do we hear the screaming range this guy really has. To add to the lifeless roaring is the more auto-tuned than ever before vocals of bassist/vocalist Martin Broda. I don't mind using a vocoder at opportune moments. If a band uses this method well, they can really add some variety and spice to a song (see I See Stars), but bands that depend on it solely just come off as annoying. On songs such as "When Dreams Become Nightmares" and the slower-paced ballad of a song "Guardian Angel", I feel that if Broda pushed the vocoder to the side and used his natural pipes (assuming he does have them, that's still yet to be seen) AAS could produce a couple quality songs. As of right now we just have to assume Broda is an awful singer, and can only be bared at all with T-Pain vocals.
As for the lyrics on this record, I couldn’t find a single moment from any of the new songs that blasted Christian beliefs at me like the EP did. Lyrics like "We don't give a fuck, we're just here to party!!" are a prime example of this band conforming to the Rise way of writing songs, leaving people like me who realized their potential let down, and just all around turned off.
All in all, it's safe to say that Abandon All Ships is Attack Attack! 2.0. There is nearly nothing at all that separates Geeving from AA!'s s/t. If you enjoyed that album (for whatever crazy reason) than chances are you will love this. As for me? Well, it's plain for me to see that any potential that I saw in AAS's EP has been completely and tragically "Rised".
1) Rise is not a major label
2) This band never had "potential"
3) How can a label add to a band's music? They simply promote the music.
4) What relevance do their past allusions to Christianity have anything to do with this record?
5) Conforming to the "Rise way of writing songs"?
Terrible, terrible band. I've had this misfortune of seeing these guys live not too long ago. And really, of all people to be featured on this album, it has to be Rody of PTH? Disappointment.
I'll be honest and say I really liked this album. It was fun to listen to, and did it's most basic function; to simply entertain me. Yes, they do have major similarities to a slue of bands in the scene, you're right on with the "autotunecore" name calling. However they are the most electronic of all the bands I've heard and if that's something you like it's easy to be hooked. The only thing that really bothered me was the screamer. I just think he flat out sucks.
the "music" of this band is an impertinence. 59% is way too high. their auto-tuned chugga chugga shitcore makes me want to destroy something. can't believe they actually have fans. bands like this ruin the music scene.
the "music" of this band is an impertinence. 59% is way too high. their auto-tuned chugga chugga shitcore makes me want to destroy something. can't believe they actually have fans. bands like this ruin the music scene.
1) Rise is not a major label
2) This band never had "potential"
3) How can a label add to a band's music? They simply promote the music.
4) What relevance do their past allusions to Christianity have anything to do with this record?
5) Conforming to the "Rise way of writing songs"?
You don't follow music much, do you?
1. Rise Records, while not a major label, has major label distribution through ADA which is owned by Warner (one of the "big four").
3, 4, 5. Labels are supposed to help bands better themselves and their sound and fully realize their potential. Rise Records has a big reputation for producing the same sounding bands which has given the above mentioned nick names like 'autotunecore' and 'genericore'. The simple lack of overall originality coming from a lot of Rise Records bands is enough to label them.
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