Various Artists - Change! (CD)

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This compilation comes to us via Hopeless Records and there is something special about it; 5% of its suggested retail price will be donated to the Hot Topic Foundation (I don't think Europe has the store, but it's an alternative store). The foundation supports educating youth in music, creative writing, painting, photography, filmmaking and more. This release is also only found at Hot Topic in the US (sorry Metalcore fans in Europe; check Ebay, I guess).
Change! consists of a lot of Metalcore, and I mean a lot. I figured it would be easiest if I just wrote a small note about each band, not each song, since some bands have more than one song.
CHIODOS - reminded of a mix of DILINGER ESCAPE PLAN and GLASSJAW.
SILVERSTEIN - a mix of hardcore and indie.
SAOSIN - ear piercing vocals, another mix of indie and hardcore, but more on the indie side a focus on really high pitched vocal harmonies.
ALESANA - the growler kind of reminds of a Black Metal vocal, which I found strange, but also lots of emo-core, indie, and hardcore stuff mixed into the music. A interesting mix of vocals.
EVERY TIME I DIE - kind of reminds of the FOO FIGHTERS but after they smoked a half pound of meth. Kind of mainstream Rock sound, but its totally jacked up on something.
THE CHARIOT - I didn't really know what to think, here it was Metalcore though.
THE HUMAN ABSTRACT - the most interesting thus far. Some pretty good guitar work with something that sounded like a sweep, but I wasn't quite sure. The clean vocals are the most tolerable thus far as well. All the others didn't appeal at all to my ears.
AS I LAY DYING - if you have seen any of the latest editions of Headbanger's Ball then you know who these guys are.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - a pretty monstrous death vocal that is pretty uncharacteristic though it is short lived; also an unexpected synth at the end of the song. I guess tech metalcore is present here.
PARKWAY DRIVE - kind of doomy almost in parts, but then a riff stolen out an ALL THAT REMAINS songbook.
AUGUST BURNS RED - metalcore deluxe.
JOB FOR A COWBOY - see description for AS I LAY DYING.
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY - something along the lines of DILINGER ESCAPE PLAN again.
CONVERGE - music is pretty good, but the vocals sound like static at different volumes.
POISON THE WELL - screamo, they have been around awhile.
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE - its metalcore but with a certain twist that makes it actually sound kind of different still not my cup of tea, but at least its different. It's something in the guitar sound.
HORSE THE BAND - these guys are ridiculous, Nintendo sounding keyboards or programming with hardcore mixed in.
GALLOWS - sounds kind of like old English punk.
AIDEN - the most pop sounding thing on the compilation, sounds like AFI.
PIERCE THE VEIL - more metalcore, but mixed with the poppyness of the AIDEN.
FALL OF TROY - Indie.
BOYS NIGHT OUT - emocore, sounds like THURSDAY.
ESCAPE THE FATE - something different here Pop-punk.
MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER - more straight forward Rock kind of stuff but with a hardcore edge and southern twang built in.
KADDISFLY - poppy emo Rock.
Overall, I personally wouldn't purchase this release, but I don't really care for Metalcore, which is what predominates this release.  If you like that kind of thing this release is right up your alley.  The quality of both the CD and DVD are of high quality and the packaging is very nice as well.  I personally am going to give this to someone that will truly enjoy it. I also don't think that is fair to rate it since I don't like this kind of music, but it is for a good cause and the production and packaging is top tier.