Remembering Never

Item: She Looks So Good in Red
Author: Matt Modrich

She Looks So Good in Red

(2002)

Reviewed by Matt Modrich

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Label Ferret RecordsDecapolisJuly 2002

hardcore metalcore

Remembering Never is a hardcore band from Florida that is often compared to Poison the Well. Their latest release "She Looks So Good in Red" is on the label known as the Ferret Music Corporation.

Stylistically they are hardcore/metalcore a lot like Underoath, but there are slower moments as well. Remembering Never even sings at times, which transforms their sound into something along the lines of Embodyment or Stavesacre's ballads. With the capability of switching sounds almost instantaneously, Remembering Never is able to add a twist that most hardcore bands lack.

"She Looks So Good in Red" starts with "To the Girl I Loved for an Hour," which is not only the most aggressive piece on the album, but it's also the shortest track timing in at well under a minute. Track three "Feathers in Heaven" shows the mellow, moderate and heavy side of Remembering Never. The next track "Big Jim's Mistake," which may be the best song on the album, also runs the gamut with melodic and intense moments. Another highlight is the killer drum fills in song six "Meadows." Sadly, the song after it "Blue," which is the album's only non-screaming piece, is the worst track on the record. It is really just a hardcore band doing a boring ballad, but what's worse is that it's bound to get them labeled as an "emo" band. Track nine "Heartless" gets things back on the right track by showcasing the band's melodic vocal lines and ability to create memorable guitar hooks. Yet two songs later in "Last Night Alone," the band uses a guitar effect that is counterproductive. Thankfully, the bonus song track 66 ends the album out with some unexpected moments and double kick delights.

Putting musical biases aside, this is a good record for what it is. Unfortunately, if you read the lyrics you may wish you never remembered Remembering Never. "She Looks So Good in Red" features some of the most sadistic lyrics out there, unless you consider writing about multiple ways to kill ex-girlfriends a normal part of the creative process. As far as the grading, "She Looks So Good in Red" deserves a B because the music is above average and the lyrics make the CD worth burning.