Amity Affliction, The - Severed Ties (Album)
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» Enter Shikari - Forum Theatre, The, NSW - January 23, 2008
Something that instantly hits you as soon as you flood your world with Severed Ties, new album from Brisbane’s electro-hardcore outfit The Amity Affliction, is the upbeat party atmosphere they create compared to past work High Hopes which had a large emphasis on teen suicide. But before you jump ahead of yourself, you could not say that the band or its music has become shallow. Still pressing this urgency to reach out when you need help, Amity has re-worked the theme into something that is lighter and easier to swallow. Finding you’re motivated to get up and dance.
Keeping to style, commentary and snippets of movie dialogue have been included throughout the album for the amusement of the listener and no doubt the band themselves. A personal favorite is the “I like to party” conversation slipped into “I heart Roberts’” and I was amused to see a girl at the underage Melbourne show wearing a tee-shirt she had obviously made to commemorate it. Creative child.
Musically, Amity has out done themselves, keeping the tunes new and interesting. Introducing guest vocals by some well-known names in the scene such as JJ Peters (Deez Nuts) Crafter (Confession) and Mathew Wright (The Getaway Plan), really mix up the vocal range. Improvised vocals on So You Melted by Mathew Wright are something to look out for and add a completely different dimension to the album.
An old favourite has been revisited in Poison Pen Letters and been re-vamped for any old fans who might remember the demo version released back in 2006.
The Blair Snitch Project is defiantly the most unique track Amity has ever produced and the stand out of the album. Although not really your live song of the year, without this quirky and confusing track, Severed Ties would not be an album. For anyone who knows this track, I challenge you to count how many times the word “white” appears throughout the 3:40 minute song. I lost count after 18.
I have been listening to this album constantly since I got it (which isn’t very good when you have other CDs to review) and can honestly say I have found a new love for this band. Not a huge fan when I started, and still a little shaken from the heavy High Hopes I have certainly walked away from this experience with a new understanding of The Amity Affliction’s music and playful side, this the most strong throughout their cover of 80’s hit Love is a Battlefield.
For anyone who is looking for something new and slightly less predictable than influx of hardcore bands chocking our local scene or old Amity fans who may have dropped off the radar for one reason or another, I urge you to investigate this new album and if you can, try and make it to a concert some time soon. I was truly refreshed by the experience.
