Words: David Appelt
To borrow from my favorite movie of all time: This is album the metal genre needs, not the one it deserves.
For too long (in my opinion), the metal genre has been hurting. What used to be sound-alike riffs and
vocals in the hair-metal era is now sound-alike breakdowns and screams. There are still some other
groups I respect (ABR, WATG, etc.). At large, however, I think the genre is hurting for creativity and direction.
The Ongoing Concept just re-established my faith in the genre. Their new album “Handmade” is everything you hope a metal album in 2015 could be. From a musical perspective, the album is chock-
full of creativity that has been lacking in metal for a while. The Ongoing Concept wanted to return the genre to its roots, removing the current shtick of constant breakdowns and actually putting together songs that tell a story musically and lyrically.
The Ongoing Concept manages to give you all the intensity you crave in hardcore music without giving
you a constant barrage of the same old trappings of other bands (something that only bands like August Burns Red, Beartooth, and Wolves at the Gate manage to do, in my opinion).
From the very beginning you notice that the album will be different. “Amends” is the perfect way to start the journey. The song includes auxiliary percussion, vocal layering, and even horns. From the very beginning, you see this group is not just double bass, pig squeals, and finger-tapping, but the entire group (including the bassist) creates one cohesive sound that flows like music should. The second song “Feel” shows you the guitarist’s chops and demonstrates the influence of (the good part of) 80’s metal on the record. Songs like “Trophy,” “Prisoner,” and “Unwanted,” give you all the speed and noise you could want, while still maintaining solid melody. “Soul” channels southern roots, akin to the ‘Maylene and the Sons of Disaster’ (seriously, it’s that good). “Survivor” gives bassists a time to shine that is nonexistent in metal at large today.
Two other songs, in my head, are the show stoppers of the album. “Melody” channels folk influences in
between the two hardest tracks on the album and demonstrates the creativity of the group (don’t worry, there’s still a breakdown-lite at the end). “Falling” is a killer ending to a perfect record, heavily based on the piano roots that Lead Singer Kyle Scholz built so much of “Saloon” on top of.
I rarely, if ever give out perfect scores (on principle). But this album earned it. A more refined, evolved sound from a group I already respected. From start to finish, the guitars, the drums, the bass, the piano, the vocals, the lyrics, will blow you away. This album deserves to launch this band of brothers far into the top flight of metal acts.
Score: 5/5
For Fans of: August Burns Red, Beartooth, Wolves at the Gate
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