Album Review: MayOrWest - We, The End

Recorded at the prestigious Big Blue Meenie Studios, the New Jersey based four-piece, MayOrWest, are revitalising that old school sound and are looking to make a mark with their second independent release, 'We, The End'.

I didn’t really know what to expect from the album; the opening title track 'We, The End', begins with a pretty generic marching beat and guitar solo; it seems a little clichéd and to be honest, it wasn’t the punchy, in your face intro I was anticipating. The song carries on with a distinctively ‘metal’ guitar sound, matched with a steady beat; the chorus “our voice will transcend time” is a reflection of how lyrics may not be MayOrWest’s strongest point, in comparison to their evident musical ability. Davey Havok (AFI) and maybe even Geoff Rickly (Thursday) would be adequate comparisons against lead singer, Adam Ramsden’s vocals. They are a surprise contrast to the tone of the music delivered on the album; the bands relatively dark compositions are complimented by a melodic and unique sounding voice, giving an interesting dimension to their overall sound.

A more fitting introduction, in my opinion, would have been the frantic 'Icarus'. Placed third on the album, this song would have had much more of an impact to the listener as the opening track; showcasing the bands creative side, the end result is incredibly tight, high-octane track, making you want to crank the volume up to 11 and sing along at the top of your lungs. Throughout the album, there is a classic mix of explosive punk rock energy and traditional “metal-core” guitar solos, riffs and structures; and whilst this certainly works for 'L.A.S.H', 'Look At Us' and 'Hotter In The Handcuffs', the formula seems to be a little overused, and because of this, the album loses its edge slightly.

With the individuality of each track waning, 'Devil’s In The Details' is a song that clearly stands out above the rest. With a delicate intro that leads into some seriously heavy, passionate guitar work, the song eventually builds up to a tried and tested “Woah-oh” at the end of the song. This is a definite crowd pleaser and has the potential to kick start their reputation as being a successful band within this genre. The pace is then changed entirely with Sevier; its dark, heart-felt mood is similar to Brand New’s most recent offerings and with the song being placed close to the centre of the album, it certainly keeps you interested. This is a more refined and sophisticated sound coming from MayOrWest and is certainly a favourite on the album.

Sadly, the variety seems to fade past this point, returning to their usual arrangements towards the latter part of the album, 'Scream Therapy' and the final song 'The Return' seem to simply merge with the rest and don’t particularly stand out. This feeling is reciprocated for the two instrumental tracks that appear throughout the record; although they showcase the bands compositional ability, they’re simply fillers and I’m not too sure if they add anything significant.

All in all, I’d say the album leaves you a little hot and cold after a few listens; on the one hand, there is some fantastic musicianship coming from every member of the band creating a number of potential hits, and the fact that the album is an independent release makes 'We, The End' an incredibly unique album, however you do get the feeling that because there is a distinctly linear sound to many of the songs, and the lyrics adding no real substance, MayOrWest will have to pull out all the stops for their next record if they want to avoid slipping under the radar.

2.5/5

'We, The End' by MayOrWest is available now

MayOrWest on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Sandeep Dawett