Reviews

Jagged hardcore riffs, straight up death metal growls, and harsh aggressive breakdowns makes up For The Fallen Dreams' debut album, Changes. Formed in 2003, these Michigan boys stay true to their metal veins and incorporate styles of the pure hardcore sound and metal vocals. Unlike many mainstream metal bands, you won't hear melodic vocals on this album. Vocalist Chad Ruhlig packs harsh shouts and wild groans into every track, mixing hardcore verses with sing-a-long choruses, giving heavy metal fans a conglomerate of metalcore goodness.

The opening track, "Brothers in Arms," is slow compared to the rest of Changes and the synchronized guitar and drums - as well as melodic chords - are done well. The heavy breakdowns and laid back melodic guitars on songs like "Never Again" and the instrumental track "Changes" provide listeners a blend of contrasting sounds. The opening growl on "Vengeance" followed by its crushing breakdowns is solid.

Tracks like "Hopeless" and "Last Dying Breath" get repetitive and are reminiscent of the metal mosh sound of Misery Signals, but these missteps made up in drum heavy tracks like "This World Around Us." "Through the Looking Glass" ends the album with a pleasing, lighter melody but never eases up on its heavy abrasive guitar riffs and metal growls. From the breakdowns to the lyrics to the aggressive musicianship and group chants, Changes caters to the avid metal fan looking for a change in the stagnant scene. It has the basic components of metal and hardcore and fuses them with experimental, synchronized guitar melodies and thick, bestial vocals.