[AlbumOTD] Miracle at St. Anna - SHADOW COUNTRY

Artist: Miracle at St. Anna
Genre: Metal/Hardcore
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana. US
Label Type: Indie
Record Label: Tragic Hero Records 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MASAband

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Miracleatstanna
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/miracleatstanna 

The album in question today is ‘Shadow Country’ the debut album from New Orleans-based band Miracle at St. Anna, another product of the increasingly impressive Tragic Hero Records label.

MASA are from the hardcore/metal scene and consist of members Cody (Vocals), Mitch (Guitar), Jesse (Guitar), Ryan (Bass), and Spanky (Drums). The band themselves claim to be somewhat angelic and loveable, and though this can’t be proved or disproved by simply listening to the album, though their claims of being knowledgeable and wise certainly seem to have some scope with some real creative song-writing skills on display, not to mention some inspiringly imaginative song titles like ‘Brokeback Fountain’. The brilliant thing about this album more than anything is the diversity, not one song is the same as the last, and rather than there being two or three stand-out tracks, every single track has the potential to be a favourite for someone out there.

A more than impressive start to the album comes in the form of ‘On The Reg’, straight from it’s drumstick tapping intro, through to the in-your-face guitars and hard screaming, growling vocals. The switching between these two vocals styles is a theme that continues throughout the album. Then there is the wonderfully titled ‘These Boots Were Made For Pimpin’’ which incorporates a wonderful exhibition of overlapping singing and screaming, coveting each other to give that desired effect. In addition there is ‘Moses in Agony’ which displays a real good rhyming flow, as the album picks up new tricks progressing with its unique and industrial sound. Although probably the catchiest line of the album comes on the track titled ‘Jake Pushed the Button’, which reads “I push it back, push it back, cause it’s calling in vain”. This is followed by the most heartfelt track on the album, ‘Drink a Beer, Kill a Deer’ with is deep meaningful lyrics, but it takes until the final song to utilise the keys at their very best. Their presence is a perfect complement to the surrounding eclectic noise of vocals, guitars drums and synths, a brilliant way to close off this 10-track treat. Other note-worthy mentions include the effects used at the beginning of ‘Shot at the Tiger’, the melodies portrayed in ‘The Hypnotizer’ and the numerous brutal breakdowns throughout the entire album.

Overall, MASA are at their most impressive when the screams are met with spine-chilling breakdowns into a more post-hardcore mode. Perhaps this could come to the fore a little more in the future like it tends to do towards the albums end, but a top drawer effort for a debut album nonetheless. 

Here's the audio for 'These Boots...' from the album to whet your appetite:

Matthew Evans

[ArtistOTD] Unchained Breathing

Artist: Unchained Breathing
Genre: Deathcore/Metalcore
Location: Limburg, The Netherlands
Label Type: Unsigned
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ubnl
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/unchainedbreathing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Unchainedbreathing

Today's artist of the day is Unchained Breathing, an unsigned deathcore band from Limburg, NL. Over the last three years this group of rag tag ragamuffins have grown to become one of Limburg's most well known bands. Managing to build a steady fanbase, they currently tour all over Europe, playing alongside bands such as Blindsight, Sworn Enemy and Forget to Forgive among others. Their first offering, I Force Myself, provides a fantastic insight into this band's potential. While the members of Unchained Breathing are unable to drink in the USA, they've managed to create a surprisingly well developed sound.

Arguably their worst song is The Hudson, despite being a technically fantastic song, with Niels Kuchta and Dimitrie van Dijk combining stupendously to create a heavy and atmospheric vibe, they are let down by some amateurish vocals. Although versatile, Conner van Dijk finds it hard to steer the line between fog horn and terrified pig in oinking for dear life in the near frozen Hudson. Fortunately, his vocal performance improves greatly in Buried Between the Dead and the Fall, a more upbeat song with a faster tempo. Buried Between the Dead and the Fall brings to mind Obscura's masterpiece album, Cosomogenesis, although Unchained Breathing still have a little way to go before they could be put into the same league. Pull Here for the Parachute, is a darker, heavier tune. Although the occasional pig squeal reminds you that your listening to a group of Dutch 19 year old's, Pull Here for the Parachute once delivers a great listen for the educated pallet. Unchained Breathing are definitely a band to look out for in the future, it would be a great shame if they were confined to the back alleys of Limburg for many more years to come. 

Reviewed by Sam Barnett