For All I Am - Skinwalker Review
When I do metalcore albums, there are some points I try to look for. Do something different with your breakdowns (production experimentation, time signature switch ups). Also, a little bit of lyrical exploration is greatly appreciated instead of falling into the anger or depressing tropes. So how does Chicago’s For All I Am fare on their first album Skinwalker? Well...disappointment is a good word to use.
I use the word disappointment because For All I Am showed some strong promise on their first EP Lone Wolf. Vocalist Aria Yavarinejad has some power in his vocal cords. He also has a voice that is pretty unique and distinct to give the band an edge. Add in the fact that Lone Wolf had some creative breakdowns that messed with time signatures and even some production experimentation that had some critics comparing them to Underoath.
So how does Skinwalker fall short? The production of the album is problem number one. All the songs pretty much sound the same on a production sound point. All the instruments are put on the same level, and they aren’t put loud like most metal albums should. The instruments are easily tuned out by whoever is in control, whether it be the vocals, guitars, or drums. This leads to the songs sounding alike and leading me to feel like not a lot of creativity was put into the album.
Speaking of creativity...it isn’t just the production that makes me believe that not a lot of creative juices were flowing during the recording of the album. The band doesn’t get as experimental as they did on Lone Wolf. Instead, we get the kind of metalcore album we hear a lot in the scene today. Breakdown, chorus, breakdown, chorus, rinse and repeat. This also leads to me starting to feel like all the songs are the same towards the end. It is only the strong “Forgotten” that takes me out of this mentality. “Forgotten” starts with a fast ferocity that has been lacking throughout the album. It also takes some experimentation with the time signatures that also has been lacking in the album. “Forgotten” is a prime example of what For All I Am is capable of, and it makes you realize they didn’t reach that potential anywhere else in the album.
The final verdict: Skinwalker is a disappointment in my eyes. For All I Am have strong potential to be something great as shown in “Forgotten”. Unfortunately, those pieces didn’t come together as we get a generic metalcore release. One that only has me specifically remembering 2 songs being above average. For All I Am is off to a shaky start, but I’m not writing these guys off yet.
FINAL GRADE: D+
CHOICE CUT: Forgotten
I use the word disappointment because For All I Am showed some strong promise on their first EP Lone Wolf. Vocalist Aria Yavarinejad has some power in his vocal cords. He also has a voice that is pretty unique and distinct to give the band an edge. Add in the fact that Lone Wolf had some creative breakdowns that messed with time signatures and even some production experimentation that had some critics comparing them to Underoath.
So how does Skinwalker fall short? The production of the album is problem number one. All the songs pretty much sound the same on a production sound point. All the instruments are put on the same level, and they aren’t put loud like most metal albums should. The instruments are easily tuned out by whoever is in control, whether it be the vocals, guitars, or drums. This leads to the songs sounding alike and leading me to feel like not a lot of creativity was put into the album.
Speaking of creativity...it isn’t just the production that makes me believe that not a lot of creative juices were flowing during the recording of the album. The band doesn’t get as experimental as they did on Lone Wolf. Instead, we get the kind of metalcore album we hear a lot in the scene today. Breakdown, chorus, breakdown, chorus, rinse and repeat. This also leads to me starting to feel like all the songs are the same towards the end. It is only the strong “Forgotten” that takes me out of this mentality. “Forgotten” starts with a fast ferocity that has been lacking throughout the album. It also takes some experimentation with the time signatures that also has been lacking in the album. “Forgotten” is a prime example of what For All I Am is capable of, and it makes you realize they didn’t reach that potential anywhere else in the album.
The final verdict: Skinwalker is a disappointment in my eyes. For All I Am have strong potential to be something great as shown in “Forgotten”. Unfortunately, those pieces didn’t come together as we get a generic metalcore release. One that only has me specifically remembering 2 songs being above average. For All I Am is off to a shaky start, but I’m not writing these guys off yet.
FINAL GRADE: D+
CHOICE CUT: Forgotten
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