Gwen Stacey - The Life I Know - 05.02.08

For most melodic metalcore bands it’s a contest to achieve the right counterpoise between savage riffs and sing-along passages. Most can be labelled guilty of swerving the melodies in the hope they’re not considered far too ‘in contact’ with their feminine side, and labelled a bunch of wet, new-wave butty-boys.

Gwen Stacey on the other hand seem to have completely ignored any said ruling on oestrogen limits and barged straight into the spotlight with not one whiff of self-consciousness, recalling Refused, Evergreen Terrace and Underoath.

They’re an instant standout simply for possessing that seemingly rare commodity for a metalcore band: the capability to produce wicked barking vocals matched by a solid, clean vocal, easily conquering some emphatic chorus lines. Opener ‘The Path To Eternity’ is a classy example, featuring killer fret chops, stabbing drums and a winning chorus, where ‘If We Live Right, We Can’t Die Wrong’ is as heroic an anthem as they come and puts Gwen Stacey firmly in the ‘Ones To Watch’ bracket.


Verdict :

JIM BURT