Artist: Red Novella
Link:
https://www.facebook.com/RedNovella
In the melodic metalcore of Red
Novella, the lows set up highs, and the highs drop you off a cliff.
Julie Andrews was only partly right: The hills are alive with the
sound of music, provided all that hilly undulation doesn't slow the
sound of squealing guitar.
The title of RN's standout album,
Failure by Design, is not just taken from one of its song lyrics.
It's a hint of what's to come. The thematic arc starts at
self-inflicted wounds: “Your words kill like a thousand cuts / And
it's you that has to live / With the consequences and the blame”
(Won't Back Down); “Did this go as you planned? / To self destruct
… / To break down and be something that you're not” (Pieces);
“You put the noose around your neck / And wonder why it's getting
hard to breathe” (Broken Down); and “We can survive / If you
swallow all your pride” (Survive).
At first glance, it appears most of
RN's narrators would opt to stay stuck in admittedly awful situations
(e.g. Won't Back Down, Survive, and Embers Never Fade). But then
something happens. Near the end of the song cycle (Ashes Fall, Broken
Down), we get the feeling that RN's romantically flawed narrators are
nearly fed up. And it's here where inspirational lyrics (liberally
sprinkled throughout the album) play a role. Most metal/-core bands
avoid such constructive observation – e.g. Won't Back Down's “It's
the past that makes us who we are / And guides us along the way ...
Time heals all of our broken dreams / And all the scars … I'll
stand my ground / I won't back down / I'm prepared to fight for this
life” – to sidestep the appearance of being soft, even when doing
so can come at the expense of establishing a deeper connection with
the listener. On Failure by Design however, it helps to close the
loop: It clues us in that RN's composite narrator will ultimately
move beyond denial/acceptance to action. (And to think: It all
started with the realization that the significant other's failure was
by design.)
But in melodic metalcore, all the
lyrical themes in the world would be nothing without metal or melody.
With Red Novella, there are multiple moments that memorably meld both
vocal and musical melody: Won't Back Down's “But I'd do it again, I
wouldn't change a thing” (at :52); Pieces' “Tonight I sing this
song for you” (1:19); and Ashes Fall's “My stomach turns / It's
filled with envy” (1:08). These typically occur when the vocal lead
is coupled with harmonies to evoke yearning.
As for metal, there's a reason I call
Red Novella “the riff armada” (beyond the fact Groove Armada was
taken). Examples are everywhere. To observe the important role that
riffs play in the dynamic development of RN songs, look no further
than album-opener Won't Back Down. After two minutes of its
verse/chorus song-in-chief, when other bands would think about
awkwardly ending it, RN simply goes off. Just as the screaming fades
(at 2:22), RN's drummer and guitarist resume hostilities, trading
punches until double-bass and screamo signal yet another round/layer
of knockout riffage (2:32).
Like the best bands of the genre, Red
Novella is blessed with a tremendous sense of melody, dynamic
song-writing, and lyrical themes emotionally suitable to the musical
heartbreak.
(In other words, they kick Julie
Andrews ass.)
*** The author of this review,
Martin Simmons, plays the madal for the following band:
http://youtu.be/tMS73-1kCr8
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