Metalcore is an interesting genre.
Spanning technical musicians such as August Burns Red and the more
traditional scream-verse sing-chorus Killswitch Engage, the genre
seems to have fallen in a rut of cookie cutter bands spewn out from
labels like Victory and Rise. Greeley Estates, the once post-hardcore
band gone metal, are one of the exceptions. Blending the heaviest
riffs and blast beats with curveball production and memorable vocals
is what Greeley Estates is all about, and they're doing mainstream metalcore the
right way.
After releasing the EP Caveat
Emptor and the following full-length Far From The Lies in
the mid-2000's, the band made a decision to add more metallic
elements to their sound. Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East
is a pretty standard album for the time period: heavily produced
chugs and breakdowns with scream-yells over the choruses. Many other
bands like Drop Dead, Gorgeous were pulling off the same act,
although Greeley Estates did it with more precision and
care. “Blue Morning” shows the
band's metalcore sound at it's finest, while “If I Could Be Frank,
You're Ugly” blends melodic vocals with infectious guitar riffs.
The band's follow up No Rain, No
Rainbow builds upon Go West Young Man, upping the
distortion factor, snipping the clean vocals, and adding elements of
death metal. The intentionally muddy production was met with
polarized criticism, and songs feature guest vocals from various
members of Blessthefall. The album, overall, is more commercial and places the band alongside The Devil Wears Prada and other mainstream
heavy acts. Fan favorite “I Shot the Maid” has one of
the most memorable mosh calls in recent history, even if the lyrics are a bit silly.
Shortly after, the band released The
Death Of Greeley Estates and reintroduced some of the clean vocals
into the mix. The lyrics are more story-driven, channeled through a
blend of caustic screeches and lighthearted emo croonings. Once again,
the band's production adds a distinct element of muddy reverb that
doesn't sound like any other. The gloomy acoustic track “December”
shows the band's willingness to step outside the metalcore box to
revisit their past, adding itself as one of the best songs in the
band's catalog.
In 2012 and 2013, the band took the
reins and went on to produce The Narrow Road and Devil
Son independently, two half-albums of the band's best material.
On first listen, The Narrow Road sounds more mature with
stronger song structure, placing it miles above their previous
material. The odd production choices are gone, and songs like “Watch
It Burn” and “Lennox House” explore a sludgier, slower sound.
The second half, Devil Son, is a more refined and accessible
record that exemplifies the progression that contemporary heavy acts
must experience to stay relevant. “Marionette” borrows much from
Deftones while “Turn the Night Away” ups the atmospheric tension
by blending post-hardcore riffs, passionate vocals, and heavy
breakdowns to create a dynamic and moody monster. Still, the band loves to
set that progression aside to be as heavy as
possible on songs like “Lot Lizards” and “Die.” Sometimes you
just want to be angry.
Greeley Estates has had a strong and
progressive career, and they aren't going to stop anytime soon. If
Devil Son is any indication, the band will continue to evolve past
the current clichés and incorporate elements from other genres.
Until then, check out the band's catalog and enjoy.You can stream it on Spotify, or check out the two most recent releases on Bandcamp.
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