Memphis May Fire are a band full of potential, just look at their first two EP's and debut album "Sleepwalking". The combination they created of southern inspired guitar work in metalcore was fresh and invigorating for the genre. They then released "The Hollow", an amazing album in it's own right, ditching the southern sound they had for a more heavy assault, which many people felt they could build on in order to create something truly great. But then their third album "Challenger", just felt like a rehash of "The Hollow", but without as enjoyable song writing as it's predecessor, and many cringe worthy lyrics. This brings us to album number four, "Unconditional".
It's not like this is the worst album the band could have written by any means, it's just so samey throughout, all the heavy songs sound very similar, and "Speechless" although the most unique song on the album, fails to live up to the ballad on "Challenger", "Miles Away". It has that exact same love song type feel to it but doesn't quite reach the heights that "Miles Away" did. The guitar riffs, while not being horrible, seem to borrow a lot from Challenger, and the song structures and breakdowns have not changed at all. Your general MMF song on "Unconditional" will consist of '5 seconds of ambiance/build up, verse riff, breakdown, chorus, verse riff, breakdown, chorus, breakdown', and me saying that isn't even hyperbole, when an album consists of more than half the songs following this formula, listening to the whole thing in one sitting can almost be sleep inducing.
Matty Mullins has always been a standout member of this band and that doesn't change here. His screams have improved, his fierce growls and powerful highs sound better than ever and he has always been a strong clean vocalist, however his lyrics make me cringe in most songs, despite not being quite as bad as they were in Challenger, his lyrics seem as if they are trying too hard to appeal to Memphis May Fire's teenage fan base, which makes it hard to take a lot of the lyrics seriously. The true shining light on this album however, are the drums. The drummer creates interesting fills and is full of energy throughout, despite how badly the drum sounds, and every instrument on this album for that matter, are produced. The guitars seem too low in the mix, and all I can hear in a lot of riffs is the kick drum, which as stated earlier sounds fake and extremely overproduced.
With the release of "Unconditional", Memphis May Fire will sell records and continue on in their fame filled lives, receiving copious amounts of praise all over their Facebook and other social media websites, and that's what they set out to do. However, a band with such obvious talent could have mixed up their riffs a little, changed up song structures and created an album they have the potential to create, rather than a rehash of something that we've all heard before.
Memphis May Fire proves with every record they put out that they are the undeniable masters of the modern metalcore formula. Whether that's a good or a bad thing, is ultimately up to the listener.
Memphis May Fire’s 2011 effort ‘The Hollow’ was the perfect example of modern metalcore done right. Three years and two albums later, enter the group’s newest production ‘Unconditional’. With the band’s tried-and true song formula from the last two evidently in place from the start of the album’s opener, ‘No Ordinary Love’, it’s apparent that not much has changed. But is that necessarily a bad thing for fans of Mullins & Co.? Probably not.
Memphis May Fire’s lyrics have always been one of the higher points in their music - even if some of the same lyrical themes have been repeated a few times over. One thing is now more obvious than it was in their previous works; vocalist Matty Mullins’ stronger, more profound faith in Christianity. Delivering the line “I know you’re here; I shiver as you whisper in my ear, ‘Child, have no fear’” just two minutes into the album, Matty wastes no time in letting the listener learn of his faith, proclaiming “I tried to save myself, but I failed!” (See the entire track 'Pharisees', as well)
They’ve even jumped on the self-help bandwagon that so many others have, on the track ‘Beneath The Skin’. “She dreams of a day when she won’t have to cry herself to sleep! Is our generation too blind to see true beauty lies beneath the skin? So ignorant!” While the lyrical themes may not be new, or exactly what everyone wants to hear, it’s apparent that this is Mullins’ most genuine effort yet, in terms of singing about how he truly feels. Lyrical content aside, on nearly every track Mullins delivers an extremely catchy chorus or hook, as only can be expected by now. The chorus of ‘Sleepless Nights’ is one of the best he’s written.
The guitarists are back to their dual assault of heavy riffing and chugging on ‘Unconditional’. While there’s not anything in particular that stands out enough to write home about, the guitars on this album are simple, effective, and very accessible and appropriate. There’s a couple times during the album in which the direction the guitars take almost feels out of place, and at some points, the listener can’t help but wish they did something more, something different. This is a metalcore album, after all.
The drumming of Memphis May Fire has never really drawn much attention to itself in the band's previous works. They were very appropriate and worked very well in ‘The Hollow’ and ‘Challenger’. That changes this time. ‘Unconditional’'s drumwork grabs you by the collar and forces the listener to stop and notice just how expertly Jake Garland smashes the skins. Riddled throughout the record are hard, fast, and heavy grooves and air-drum worthy fills.
The stand-out track of the album is ‘Speechless’. In a word; it’s "beautiful". A song about Matty’s love for his wife, the track showcases the band’s softer, more heartfelt side, and offers a very different and sincere contrast to the heavier assaults of tracks like ‘Sleepless Nights’ and ‘The Rose’.
Overall, there is nothing new to be found on ‘Unconditional’. Nothing outstanding, nothing inherently bad. That fact, however is a double-edged sword. Fans of the band’s previous works will love the new album. At the same time there’s nothing here to convince those who don’t like MMF’s previous attempts to change their minds. 'Unconditional' is a great album, but it may leave some feeling a hole where there’s something more to be desired.