Album Reviews

There are few things that have as big an influence on a band’s sound as the vocals. So anytime a vocalist is replaced, there’s that question… will they still be as good? When the news came that former Alexisonfire guitarist/vocalist Wade MacNeil replaced Frank Carter (who wanted to focus on Pure Love), hardcore fans all over the world asked themselves… will they still be as good?

Gallows’ first sign of life with MacNeil – the “Death Is Birth” EP – was promising but it’s with their new self-titled full-length, that these guys proves that yes, they are still doing just fine. The album opens with a spoken word intro before they unleash their particular brand of hardcore punk fury and they just keep on coming at you from there.

Gallows had that thing that set them apart from other hardcore bands by sounding melodic and menacing at the same time and luckily that vibe is still intact in songs such as “Everybody Loves You (When You’re Dead)” or “Vapid Adolescent Blues”. And by the time “Cross Of Lorraine” comes around and hits you straight in the face, it’s fair to say that Gallows did another kickass job.