OBEY THE BRAVE
Young Blood
Epitaph Records
Ferocious drumming, intense vocals and deep riffs epitomise Obey The Brave‘s first release through Epitaph records, ‘Young Blood’. Ex-Despised Icon vocalist Alex Erian delivers sinister shouts and brutal screams, an example of his deathcore roots coming into their own and making ‘Young Blood‘ heavy. Very heavy indeed. Yet, although essentially a metalcore album, the two-step rhythms of modern hardcore raise ‘Young Blood‘ head and shoulders above the rest with guest vocals from Terror’s Scott Vogel on ‘Get Real‘ emphasising the ‘core’ element of this genre in all its glory.
With experimental interludes such as ‘Grim‘ flashes of more recent Emmure shine through, but the most relevant comparison has to be to The Ghost Inside’s ‘Get What You Give‘ which was released earlier in 2012. Originality is a slight down fall for Obey The Brave, there are plenty elements similar to Parkway Drive, Stick To Your Guns, Hundredth and many other metal/hardcore acts. But in all honesty Obey The Brave aren’t trying to be something special or something unique; during opener ‘Lifestyle‘ the lyrics “Not trying to reinvent the wheel – we keep it simple, we keep it real,” are performed with vehement passion, this band just want to make an impact with the intensity of their music and with ‘Young Blood’ thats a task well and truely achieved.
Words: Emma Wallace