Being one of the most consistent bands in the post-hardcore scene, Senses Fail are no strangers to aggression and personal song writing, building their ever-growing discography around this. 2013’s ‘Renacer’ showed that Senses Fail still had it, mixing anger and sorrow into its 42-minute runtime. So as Senses Fail releases its 6th LP ‘Pull the Thorns from Your Heart’, do they have what it takes to keep up with their progression, or will they fade into obscurity?
As lead vocalist James ‘Buddy’ Nielsen has grown, so too has his vocal delivery. At times subdued in ‘Renacer’ on songs such as ‘Between the Mountains and The Sea’, ‘Pull the Thorns from Your Heart’ packs a punch through its intensity and grit. The wear present in his harsh vocals add a layer of reality to the album, and pushes the vocals to new kinds of ruthless. Opener ‘The Three Marks of Existence’, and possibly one of the heaviest songs Senses have ever created ‘Dying Words’, showcases this well, presenting an album full of fast-paced riffs and muddy guitar and bass work. Add a sprinkle of solid and inventive drum work, and you have an album filled to the brim with catchy and engaging tracks. Even ‘slower’ songs such as ‘Wounds’ and ‘My Fear of an Unlived Life’ are filled with emotion and consistency in songwriting, and don’t feel tacked on or out of place.
Continuing on from the constant mention of songwriting, James has never strayed away from the hard-hitting topics, including that of love, loss, sexual identity and more. ‘The Importance of The Moment of Death’ conveys this well, as shown in the opening verse. “I was so tired of listening to the chorus in my head/Telling myself I wasn’t good enough to be happy or proud or loving to myself”. James is sick of it, and it shows, at times seeming as if he struggles to deliver the lyrics. Furthermore, ‘Wounds’ adds to the reality of Buddy’s lyrics. The lines “Depression, anxiety and shame, they almost killed me/Obsession, addiction and pain, they almost killed me” are personal and meaningful, and the sincerity of it is at times painful to think about.
From start to finish, ‘Pull the Thorns from Your Heart’ is a testament to the holding power of Senses Fail. A progression in all aspects when compared to ‘Renacer’, Buddy and friends have created a work of art filled with meaningful lyricism, chunky guitar and bass, and imaginative drum performances, and have finally reached their creative peak. And with a potential end in sight, what a way to go out.
As lead vocalist James ‘Buddy’ Nielsen has grown, so too has his vocal delivery. At times subdued in ‘Renacer’ on songs such as ‘Between the Mountains and The Sea’, ‘Pull the Thorns from Your Heart’ packs a punch through its intensity and grit. The wear present in his harsh vocals add a layer of reality to the album, and pushes the vocals to new kinds of ruthless. Opener ‘The Three Marks of Existence’, and possibly one of the heaviest songs Senses have ever created ‘Dying Words’, showcases this well, presenting an album full of fast-paced riffs and muddy guitar and bass work. Add a sprinkle of solid and inventive drum work, and you have an album filled to the brim with catchy and engaging tracks. Even ‘slower’ songs such as ‘Wounds’ and ‘My Fear of an Unlived Life’ are filled with emotion and consistency in songwriting, and don’t feel tacked on or out of place.
Continuing on from the constant mention of songwriting, James has never strayed away from the hard-hitting topics, including that of love, loss, sexual identity and more. ‘The Importance of The Moment of Death’ conveys this well, as shown in the opening verse. “I was so tired of listening to the chorus in my head/Telling myself I wasn’t good enough to be happy or proud or loving to myself”. James is sick of it, and it shows, at times seeming as if he struggles to deliver the lyrics. Furthermore, ‘Wounds’ adds to the reality of Buddy’s lyrics. The lines “Depression, anxiety and shame, they almost killed me/Obsession, addiction and pain, they almost killed me” are personal and meaningful, and the sincerity of it is at times painful to think about.
From start to finish, ‘Pull the Thorns from Your Heart’ is a testament to the holding power of Senses Fail. A progression in all aspects when compared to ‘Renacer’, Buddy and friends have created a work of art filled with meaningful lyricism, chunky guitar and bass, and imaginative drum performances, and have finally reached their creative peak. And with a potential end in sight, what a way to go out.