There are two ways to look at this album, so I figured I'd do two short reviews. One just takes the music at face value, while the other takes in the whole package. There's a reason I feel I need to do this, which I'll explain at the very bottom...
REVIEW 1
This fashioncore bollocks has gone too far. The world does not need another mascara-clad, black-fingernail painted, dyed jet-black hair swept across their foreheads screamo band singing about how their relationships have turned sour. The promo pic on the back of this album looks like it came from Emo Band Room 101 - it's as generic as you can get; basically this lot want to look like My Chemical Romance or Atreyu and I'm sure anyone connected with the band will hope they can match their album sales. You don't need to listen to this album to know exactly what they sound like, or where they will undoubtedly be in six months time if the trend holds (TV...duh!)
REVIEW 2
Aiden have some pretty catchy songs. 'Goodbye We're Falling Fast' is destined for TRL, while the My Chem Rom undertones of 'Knife Blood Nightmare' will certainly serve them well amongst their cloned army of black-clothed fans. Aiden take a very familiar genre of music and throw it squarely at the pop end - this is probably the poppiest CD Victory has ever (and maybe will ever) put out. Some of the vocal melodies and harmonies are so clean you could be mistaken for thinking they're stolen from a pop act. 'This City Is Far From Here', for instance, has the token screams and drop D guitars, yet is also hugely singable, in a 'I-don't-want-to-sing-this-and-ruin-my-street-cred-but-it's-so-damn-catchy-I-can't-resist' kinda way. 'Nightmare Anatomy' is nothing new musically, but the songs here are of an adequate enough standard to have you singing along, short-term at least.
So there you have it - contrasting reviews depending on how you look at Aiden. Strip away the image and this silly goth punk facade and you have a set of songs which, albeit very, very poppy, aren't too bad at all in places. 'Knife Blood Nightmare' is a keeper, while 'Die Romantic' and 'This City Is Far From Here' are worth several spins. I get the feeling that local alternative/rock clubs will be spinning some of those songs in the coming weeks. The world doesn't need another fashioncore band - but with catchy songs I can disregard the silly image. For now at least...
www.aiden.org
Victory
Paul
