Since Yesterday - The Artificial Truth

Release Date: April, 2010
Label: Band Self Released

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Aftermath
2.  Interlude
3.  It Always Feels Good to
     Remove Scabs
4.  Episode Two
     (worst case scenario)
5.  Tales of Redemption
6.  Hey! Sleepwalker
7.  Dead Today
8.  Sinatra Doctrine
9.  Shame, Fear, Guilt, Denial
10.  The Fall

Total playing time:  38:00

April 29, 2010

Reviewer: Jesse

Whether it’s used as an adjective before the word “thrash” or just “metal,” “modern” will scare off a lot of metal heads as it’s generally used to try to gloss over metalcore.  “Modern”, however, is the perfect way to describe Since Yesterday’s debut full-length The Artificial Truth and that is in no way meant to disguise anything about them.  A clever blend of melodic thrash and tech metal, Since Yesterday’s style is highly upbeat and anthemic, almost certainly made to be intentionally crowd-pleasing.  It’s “modern” in the sense that it’s genre-defying; several influences are at work here, but the difference between Since Yesterday and most other bands I’ve heard that might accompany them is that they clearly have a talent for writing immensely catchy songs.

Most of the songs follow a fairly straightforward blueprint, which doesn’t leave room for much variation throughout the album, but this style doesn’t exactly have a need for it so long as you continue to pump out riffs and choruses as memorable as the ones found on The Artificial Truth.  The lead guitar is mostly the backbone with its alternating noodling and solos while the vocals create an intensely enthusiastic atmosphere.  One goal I’m sure they went in trying to reach was to construct songs for the entire crowd to be able to yell back at them while on stage and the multitude of vocals achieve that quite well I would think.  You have the main singer who doesn’t exactly scream harshly, he just yells really loudly in an undistorted way.  Then there’s a clean singer who sounds almost classical, then someone doing a more typical harsh scream and then the synchronized chorus of them all singing at once.  At times, each style will alternate so quickly that it makes the songs maddeningly sing-a-long and catchy.  The production is crystal-clear which can make for a sterile listening experience in most “modern” metal albums, but not so on The Artificial Truth.  The songs themselves are too good to let that happen.

The only negative really is that several of the songs seem too short.  Just when it seems like one is going to continue on after a nice solo or great chorus, it ends leaving you sort of hanging.  There are also a few filler songs, but that’s expected.  As much as I might like this album, I’m not sure that there’s much longevity to be had here for Since Yesterday.  The ceiling is pretty low in this style.  They would have to get remarkably creative in the future to stay very relevant.  They could probably go one more album in this direction, but it’s just going to get harder and harder to keep coming up with fresh riffs which is what they live by and could die by as well.  I’m interested in their future and am rooting for them.

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