Reviewed by Toby Fournier

Denton, Texas band Memphis May Fire released this, their sixth studio album, in November 2018. It's their Christian frontman, Matty Mullins, which brings the band into the Cross Rhythms orbit. Now, with Kane Churko, Kellen McGregor and Drew Fulk producing, these nu-metal monsters more than hold their own with acclaimed peers such as Linkin Park and Papa Roach. In fact, the slick and heavy production here will please metalcoreheads everywhere. Opener "The Old Me" gives us a killer riff with a smart, catchy breakdown and familiar nu-metal tropes like the low register voice, which comes and goes and growls throughout. What follows is state-of-the-art metal that demands repeat listening to appreciate its aural range. The bluesy "Sell My Soul" has, surprisingly, shades of Artic Monkeys as Mullins sings "They went me to sell my soul and live my life in ebb and flow." Who 'They' are, I'm not sure. Capitalists perhaps? "The dark is part of me/It's part of who I am" sings Matty on "Who I Am", an exploration of the duality of man. I'm glad the dark is only one part of him. I'm sure he's a nice guy. Later the slower-paced "You And Me" suggests an industrial influence, without forgetting melody, which is a welcome change in pace. These guys know a riff when they hear one. This album really is full of potential singles - no bad thing - and repeat listening confirms that this is a band on top of their game.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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