It gets
harder and harder to write reviews about bands with a sound like Glory of This. Back in the late 90s when the likes of Thursday, At The Drive In, Glassjaw et al were pioneering the post-hardcore sound, it was refreshing to hear a new take on how to make angry yet passionate music. Sadly, today’s music scene is so saturated with bands copying the initial sound with little or no originality involved, that it’s hard not to be apathetic when presented with ANOTHER generic-sounding post-hardcore act.
Fortunately, Glory of This present a sweet package in the form of ‘The Lover, The Liar, The Ruse’ that although offers nothing unique, holds its own grand as being a decent album. Opening with ‘Remove and Replace’, we begin with an eerie, acoustic introduction that descends into Thrice territory somewhere around the half-minute mark. From the opening guitar riff, it’s clear to see that the production on this record has been thought through properly, with just the right blend of bass, drums and guitars. At times, the vocals sound ropey (the chorus could have used more….chorus), but it’s a track that will be welcome in the stereos of Thursday and Thrice fans alike.
Follow up piece ‘Final Notice Before Suit’ arrives in a more brutal fashion, with some good quality screaming vocals followed by a sweet chorus melody. With the token ’emo-breakdown’ in place, it’s not something that hasn’t been executed before, though it does impress, especially with the climax in the guitar solo at the end of the track. Elsewhere, he title track is something of a curveball in the album’s flow, relying on slowed-down speech samples set to the backdrop of a gentle acoustic guitar line which at times seems a little bit pretentious. Stronger parts of the album lie in ‘The Academy Is-esque’ verses of ‘Nadir‘ as well as the well-balanced effort that is ‘The Thief will Enter’.
It’s an album that had it been released five, maybe ten years ago would be on top of its game, but in today’s music climate feels unoriginal and tired in parts. Fans of Thrice and Thursday will appreciate the lean towards the more aggressive side of the genre’s sound, but when you’ve got already established acts like these, you wonder how many people will have the patience for another copycat. If only Glory of This got here first…
Andy R