Album Review: Abandon All Ships - Geeving

The combination of hardcore and electronic elements is a challenging one, some bands manage to pull it off (see Enter Shikari) and some don't (Attack! Attack!). Unfortunately Toronto, Ontario's Abandon All Ships fall into the latter. Their début full-length, 'Geeving' traps itself by falling into occasional cliches that are all too familiar within the electo-hardcore genre, as the opening poorly-title 'Bro My God' shows; pounding drums, auto-tuned vocals and chugging guitars.

The title track soon follows with a catchy melody that you helplessly enjoy, despite it being soured in electronic beeps and auto-tune vocals. Whilst lyrically its pretty generic and the awful inclusion of "We don't give a fuck, we just came to party" is the pick of the bunch.

Throughout AAS don't stray from their comfort zone but I'll admit tracks like 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' can be appreciated; here they manage to balance out the use of electronic elements with a strong hardcore show momentarily, before ruining it with a techno breakdown. Whilst the fiery guitar work and guest vocals from Protest The Hero's Rody Walker on 'Family Goretrait', showcase the bands hardcore style and even Martin Broda's clean vocals are made to good use here.

If I could offer AAS one piece of advice, it would be to cut back or completely ditch the electronic elements, as tracks like 'Structures' shows their is a great metalcore band trying to get out, but is locked behind the somewhat pointless electro effects. By the time you get to 'Heaven' they becoming an annoying distraction, as swirling, painful synths dominate and I'm not going to even mention 'Strange Love', one track you should definitely avoid.

Overall 'Geeving' doesn't offer much in terms of variation, as it sticks with a formula and does little to alter it. Whilst the bands heavy side give them creditability, their lacklustre songwriting and dominating use of elctronica, spoil what could of been a decent metalcore album.

2/5

'Geeving' by Abandon All Ships is available now on Velocity/Rise Records.

Abandon All Ships on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Sean Reid