Album Review: Parkway Drive - Deep Blue

Parkway Drive are probably (if not) the heaviest band on Epitaph and this fact is backed up on the band's third album, 'Deep Blie'. After the slow burning intro of 'Samsara', 'Unrest' explodes with the bands usual pounding, aggressive style, one that the band honed so well. Soon enough 'Sleepwalker', 'Wreckage' and 'Deadweight' set the tone and momentum, as Winston McCall growls and screams his way through and backed up by mighty guitar riffs from Luke Kilpatrick and Jeff Ling. Although the breakdowns are a little predictable, both's players skills come out on top, as the guitars manage to dominate.

Elsewhere tracks like 'Pressures', and 'Deliver Me' are frenzied and chaotic with some outstanding guitar playing on the former and the latter seeing Ben Gordon's drumming skills being a key factor, with McCall's soaring growls playing an equal part.

Some may think Parkway Drive are just another metalcore band who just pound and thrash their way through. However 'Alone' and 'Pressures' do provide some momentarily calm moments; clean picked guitars bring a some what spacious atmosphere.

Whilst 'Home Is for the Heartless''s tempo is slightly easier and sways with disdained guitars allowing McCall's voice take center stage and the group "woah-ohs" (led by Epitaph boss Brett Gurewitz) enabling to the track to add a slight hint of variation to the overall record.

For the most part 'Deep Blue' will please fans and does not stray from the bands usual output. Whilst the instrumentation, vocals and production are pulled off excessively well, you can't help but feeling this is "just another metalcore record"; breakdowns, mighty riffs and ferocious vocals are all here in full force. Overall Parkway Drive are very good at what they do and you have to give them credit for that fact alone.

2.5/5

'Deep Blue' by Parkway Drive is released on Epitaph Records on June 29th.

Parkway Drive on MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook.

Sean Reid