The Fall of Troy: In the Unlikely Event...

I totally agree dude. Manipulator was a great album and it just doesn't compare. I hate to say it but I think this is their St. Anger. I hope this isn't the direction they are following. I'd give it a 5/10

While I completely disagree with your review, I would just like to say that your prose is haughty, hateful, and irritating. You should not be a writer.

you should cut out the latter half of the review. it addresses the album you're reviewing only remotely and comes off as masturbatory. in that latter half the writing is especially hackneyed, ironic considering how it's your main point against the album being reviewed

lets see:

[X] - non sequitur pop culture reference/comparison (aha the hills yes i remember that too!)

[X] - statement of the obvious genre analysis (i had no idea that pop sensibilities and math rock were at odds!!)

[ ] - "Sounds like ___________ meets Meat Loaf"

these are fun tricks to try to get chuckles...but nothing that critics/reviewers havent been rehashing for 30 years. the conversational style you used for "profound moments" was a bit surprising, considering i thought the reviewers on this site were mostly adults

either way, the 3rd and 4th paragraphs approached the cusp of sincere analysis, the rest was fluff. you should consider yourself lucky to have this gig

I Agree with the review, this CD just made me want to go listen to manipulator. The singing is sooo weak, uninspired and hurried along. I think most bands go through this creative drought and though they still have talent, the music just doesn't inspire. I did like " A Classic Case Of Transference", it held me on to the end, as opposed to the other songs. But then again that songs verses remind of one of their old Ghostship Album songs.

I knew i'd be seeing some harsh reviews as the album took a while to grow on me, before i started loving it.

It is hardly repeating formulas, there is obviously a change in dynamics, If they repeated any of what they have been doing over the years (which is what what you seem to want..?) they would get criticized just as much.. Based on the diversity and standard of their catalogue, I think people were expecting some sort of in-studio human sacrifice. I think it is a largely different direction, maybe not all of it is at a ball breaking speed, filled with screams - they have said they have 'a lot less to scream about' which is fair enough if doing the alternative would be contrived. As soon as i started listening to it there was the intense feeling of it being completely different to anything they've done before. The guitar work, vocals, vocal production, drumming, the song writing, it's a completely different angle and it works.

'(1) Hey, he's singing like a female opera singer there' - that's not him singing.

Also: stop trying to be witty, it fails.

Wow, i completely agree with Jordan; whoever wrote this review = fail. How can you compare this to Manipulator? no, matter of fact how can you compare any of their albums to one another? They each have their own unique sound, who are you to criticize for differentiability? That's exactly what happened to Enter Shikari. "Oh it's different! SHUN!" Screw that, if you can't appreciate change and want to listen to the same sounding music every album then go listen to Nickelback like everyone else on the planet. If every album was the same then every artist would be dull, so you can't even base an albums greatness off of previous works; it's pointless.

and by the by how can you even write a review when you ride FCPR as "stunning" i bet that was the first song you ever heard from them, mainstream fail..

Personaly, not an incredible cd but its not awful, and haha at the love for FCPREMIX. The vocals have always been the worst part of TFOF, which isnt bad as they're probably the best at every other single aspect of music.

as i sit here noticing that refused and the bloodbrothers are the top four current plays on last fm i'm starting to realize what a drab collection of followers the underground music scene has collected. you say that this new album hardly stands up to the previous two? i say don't quit your day job. you might be writing half witted reviews for this second rate website but this particular review proves that you are much better at cutting large, extra cheese pizzas. you have the outlook of a mainstream rolling stone reviewer...let me guess...oar had the best album of the decade right? come on man. listen with passion and embrace that of the author, don't just judge your reviews on their ability to audibly jack you off. music is personal not communal. you're lucky to have it.

you're obviously not a musician....