If ever they really existed before, the dividing lines between post-hardcore and metalcore have truly been blurred for good. Recent efforts by the likes of Of Mice & Men, former “crabcore legends” Attack! Attack! and The Devil Wears Prada effortlessly combine the styles, flitting between balls-out rocking and a more cerebral, subtle approach in the blink of an eye – as these are all currently/formerly signed to the Rise Records imprint, this has amusingly become known as “Rise-core”. Snapping at their heels are Texans Memphis May Fire, and latest effort ‘Challenger’ may prove to propel them to greater platforms than any of the aforementioned.
This is MMF’s third effort, and I was personally rather impressed with the first two. Drawing influence from contemporaries such as Underoath, He Is Legend and Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster, it set itself apart from the run-of-the-mill “southern” hardcore doing the rounds at the time with a little extra “oomph” when required (see the throat-scraping vocal on ‘Neutron Cameras vs Smuggled Nuclear Bombs’ for proof). This release sees them sever all ties with that style and settle into the territory of huge riffs and even huger breakdowns – it’s not original, it’s not clever, but my god, is it fun. With the change in style comes a new focus that tended to go a little astray on previous releases, and ‘Challenger’ sees them firing on all cylinders.
‘Red In Tooth & Claw’ is a personal highlight, seeing through their transition from old style to new – a rollicking southern riff into the sort of vocal that Jonny Craig could once produce before he started ballsing about with Macbooks. ‘Legacy’ would fit in nicely amongst the material offered up on Bring Me The Horizon’s 2010 barnstormer ‘There Is A Hell…’, with its mixture of fast-slow dynamics and flirtations with piano and whispered vocal before resuming crushing proceedings. ‘Losing Sight’ sets out their stall, as the title offers, as “challengers”; it puts across their frustration in a cathartic battle cry, over the thunderous drumming and formidable bass that characterises this album.
The guest spots, however, are a disappointment. Sleeping With Sirens’ Kellin Quinn guests on ‘Miles Away’, vocalist Matty Mullins’ paean to his wife, which proves to be a misfiring case of “stick ’em where you can”, and Asking Alexandria’s Danny Worsnop may as well not be on the aforementioned ‘Losing Sight’. However, this record sits amongst the upper echelons of so-called “Rise-core” – a newfound sense of unity and purpose following a change in style has bled through into this record; these guys are at the top of their game and having tremendous time making music, and it shows. If you want a contemplative, melodic post-hardcore record in the vein of latter-day Underoath or Thrice, you’ve probably snoozed off already. For a meaty slice of bouncy metalcore, this is the album for you.
OLLIE CONNORS