March 23, 2004 - This Darkened Heart

A week after my last release and two years since "Behind Silence And Solitude", All That Remains released their second album "This Darkened Heart" on March 23, 2004. We have a few changes since their debut as lead guitarist Chris Bartlett and bassist Dan Egan are both no longer with the band. Rhythm guitarist Oli Herbert moves to lead guitar and Mike Martin joins as the new rhythm guitarist, as well as Matt Deis on bass. Also, producing this album is the legend himself Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage! Everything Adam D. touches sounds pretty awesome and since their debut sounded very raw and unpolished I'm excited to see how his touch can help enhance these guys. Let's check it out!

The album kicks off with "And Death In My Arms" and Herbert opens things with a light but cool acoustic guitar riff before they slam into the main riff as Herbert switches to some fast and pretty damn wicked electric guitar. The rhythm section backs him up perfectly with some great heavy stuff as well and once Philip Labonte comes in on vocals, we instantly hear the massive difference between this album and their debut. On their debut the vocals sounded very raw and unpolished (as did the music) but Labonte is hitting some super high and super low notes, belting out everything in between and he sounds pretty freaking awesome; it's really hard to believe it's the same guy as last album! After a couple pretty awesome rounds Martin cues up a new chugging rhythm guitar riff that sounds pretty cool and Herbert proceeds to deliver a pretty wicked guitar solo overtop! After the solo Martin continues the chugging rhythm riff and Herbert plays off of him with a new riff that compliments it nicely, which takes us to a long fadeout to end the song. A pretty dam wicked way to kick off the album! Up next is "The Deepest Gray" and they dive right into the first verse with Labonte continuing to sound much-improved in the verse and Herbert showing us that he can be the lead guitarist without a doubt with some more pretty sweet guitar leading the way. After screaming the name of the song to start the chorus, Labonte also sings it and he shows us that he has a decent singing voice as well! It's still 98% screaming (no complaints here) but he adds an extra layer to things with the singing and it fits quite nicely! After a couple pretty cool rounds it's solo time again and Herbert delivers with a wonderful shredding solo that is super epic at all the perfect moments! Are we sure this is the same band as their debut a couple years ago? Adam D. has helped transform these guys from an average metal band into quite the spectacular force! Track 3 is "Vicious Betrayal" and Herbert jumps right into another fast-paced and wicked main guitar riff that jumps all over the fretboard with some nice high stuff, and some super heavy lower stuff! Labonte screams a fittingly heavy verse overtop and my head has been happily banging the whole album so far! His vocal range has expanded by about a hundred times as he hits plenty of super heavy low notes, and also holds some long, high screams that also sound fantastic! Throw in another pretty sweet solo midway through and this is yet another well-above-average metal tune! But wait, there's another solo at the end of the song and it's just as shreddingly sweet as the first one! The next track is "I Die In Degrees" and the hits keep rolling as they kick right into an epic guitar slide backed by an awesome drum fill by Michael Bartlett that leads perfectly into another template-fitting main riff, but it's a pretty wicked template to follow: fast, wild and wicked lead guitar, heavy rhythm section and some more pretty phenomenal screaming by Labonte! He hits all kinds of awesome high notes on this song and Herbert's guitar is absolutely relentless for the verse and chorus! He is always playing something (pretty sweet) and this includes another solid shredding solo. They end the song on a melodic note that comes out of nowhere, but it's nicely done and a pretty smooth transition as well! Track 5 is "Focus Shall Not Fail" and besides some cool fast drums by Bartlett everyone else starts this one off super slow with an epic riff that seems to be building for sure. Eventually Herbert and Martin sync up for a cool harmonized part with some solid heavy bass by Deis in the background, then after over a minute Labonte finally joins in as they move into a furious verse! The guitars are fast and heavy, Labonte is belting his head off and everything sounds really awesome! The chorus has another cool guitar riff leading the way, and Labonte sings the whole chorus for the first time and he does a pretty good job, I don't mind it at all! Of course there's an epic guitar solo after the next round and then Labonte screams a low new verse that sounds pretty solid as things start to slowly fadeout, but at the same time bassist Deis fades in with some piano! It's an unexpected and interesting piano part that closes out this six-plus minute epic (and longest song on the album) and I think they continue to do an amazing job at pretty much everything! Up next is "Regret Not" and it's an instrumental song that begins driven by a solid acoustic rhythm guitar riff by Martin with Herbert adding some cool acoustic lead guitar overtop. This is definitely lighter than we're used to, but it's really smooth and well done. After a couple acoustic rounds the guitars both changed to electric as Martin lays down a chugging and heavy new rhythm riff which sets the stage perfectly for Herbert to come in with some epic lead guitar. This leads nicely into a simpler but still epic guitar solo, then things quiet right down for an acoustic finish. A pretty cool little instrumental tune! Track 7 is "Passion" and Herbert jumps right into a pretty sweet lead guitar riff that the rest of the band builds a nice heavy backdrop around. Labonte sounds great in the verse, hitting some super low and super high notes and sounding phenomenal at both ends of the spectrum! Herbert and Labonte both have all kinds of highlights on this song, but the highest of the highs would be another pretty wicked guitar solo and one super long, high scream by Labonte that sounds so heavy! Non-stop metal goodness the whole way through, words don't do proper justice! The next track is "For Salvation" and they kick right into a typical(ly awesome) first verse with Herbert once again leading the way with some cool guitar and Labonte continuing to sound very polished and heavy overtop. Things lead wonderfully into a more pop-y chorus with Labonte singing the chorus for a second time and things still sound good for sure, but it takes a bit of air out of things after a furious verse. After the next round there's a cool chugging new part that sets the stage for solo time, then Herbert proceeds to shred the shit out of that guitar with an amazing solo! Thus takes us almost to the end of the song and the hits just keep coming on this album, another really good tune! Track 9 is "Tattered On My Sleeve" and Herbert plays a super fast guitar riff that sounds pretty sweet while Martin and Deis back him with a slow, bouncing rhythm section that combines pretty nicely. Labonte delivers a phemomenal verse with some really excellent low and high screams and he proves that he's more than capable at doing whatever is needed for any riff. After a couple really awesome rounds they suddenly shift to a melodic, acoustic riff and it sounds pretty solid with a nice little drum segue by Bartlett. This sets the stage for an epic electric guitar solo overtop, then Labonte closes out the song with a great new verse that alternates singing and screaming as he shows off his excellent vocal range some more until things eventually fade out. The final song on the album is the title track "This Darkened Heart" and it might be the heaviest song on the album as Labonte holds a ridiculously long, piercingly high scream right from the get-go and everyone is furiously playing behind him with a fast-paced riff with some loud drums and guitars. Labonte screams a fast verse overtop to match the fast pace and his low screams sound so clear and heavy, such an improvement by Philip and by Adam D. on the production! The song ends with Labonte repeating the line "I will not be held down again!" and every time he screams it he gets Louder and more emotional, what an awesome way to end a pretty awesome song, and album!

That is the end of "This Darkened Heart" and I thought it was a pretty fucking awesome album! All That Remains REALLY stepped up their game, blowing their debut "Behind Silence And Solitude" out of the water. Not only is the production way better, the Songs were also just way better with all kinds of great metal riffs and some really awesome and improved vocals by Philip Labonte. I look forward to seeing where they go from here!