Some call it a science that bands can exist by creating artful music with intricate melodies that don't sacrifice catchiness for bland tripe. Santa Rosa, California's Benton Falls would be a key benefactor in that particular field of science with their intermingling of soft melodies and explosive musical attacks.
"This Housecall Could Kill" and "The Race To Die" both have spastic drumming that accompany guitars that proceed to shred the compositions to pieces while taking cues from the post hard core bands they've attained their influences from. Vocalist Michael Richardson has a singing style that's rich and deep while full of conviction and stamina. It's a feat in itself that his vocals are able to remain their own entity amidst the tumultuous music that's being produced.
"Bitter By Choice" lays down a thick bass line that rumbles and shakes the floor to its foundations as the song hops in-between moments of solitude and tension. "Angel On Hiatus" has a poppier feel to it while retaining the sincerity and force of the rest of the record while "Broken Frame" is an amazingly lush instrumental with minimal drumming and a haunting, yet peaceful string arrangement floating in the background.
"There's No 'F' In Team" opens quietly enough before shredding into more chaos while "Beneath The Ashes and Lies" begins with a frenzied bass line that kicks off the song and doesn't slow down for the duration of its three and a half minutes. Benton Falls is a band that, through its creativity, has made a record with ten songs that are timeless in their own right while showing that this is only the beginning of a career full of promise.
B+
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis April 2003Reviewed by Tyler BaberOne gets the sense that Santa Rosa's Benton Falls wants, more than anything, to be heard. Guilt Beats Hate, the band's sophomore release on Deep Elm, is a sort of musical impression of the jealousy, rage, and bitterness one comes to expect from the releases of a theme label such as Deep Elm. Granted, the label's bands tend to be very talented, but nonetheless if you are on DE you may as well not…Similar sounding releases
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