with hardcore can leave fans split - while most love their catchier work, diehards will almost always claim, "the new stuff isn't heavy enough."But with this week's release of What Separates Me From You, the Ocala, Florida quintet are looking to not only give ADTR fans what they expect, but maybe even win back some of those "haters."
Separates opens with the punishing "Sticks & Bricks" where lead singer Jeremy McKinnon boldly exclaims "I am fueled by all forms of failure./I paid the price, so I'll take what's mine." The crunchy, palm-muted metal riffs of the verse lead way to one of the catchiest choruses on the record, proving yet again that ADTR reign supreme in fitting pop into the hardest of hardcore.
The mix of heavy and light on Separates goes together better than the Half & Half creamer you put in your morning coffee. With an array of solid rock songs like "Better Off This Way", "All Signs Point to Lauderdale" and "Out of Time", this record will please the masses. For those (haters) seeking something heavier, look no further than "2nd Sucks" and "You Be Tails, I'll Be Sonic". Your ears will bleed like they did during the For Those Who Have Heart days.
Separates, as with any ADTR record, is about staying true to yourself and your roots. And that's why McKinnon and crew went back to Andrew Wade and his Florida studio for the record's producing efforts. Lending a helping hand in the process was New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert.What was set to be a make-or-break record for ADTR certainly seems to come across as a win. It's a natural progression from Homesick, but won't have you holding down the fast-forward button. Separates hones in on what makes ADTR who they are. The heavy, the pop, the gang vocals and the screams are all accounted for without hesitation.
Separates certainly packs the punch ADTR fans were looking for. And though the 10 tracks are loaded with enough testosterone and adrenaline to make even the most skeptical audiophile want to mosh, one fact remains - haters gonna hate.
