Boysetsfire - While A Nation Sleeps... (Album Review)
Friday, 14 June 2013
Written by Ben Bland
Some bands are destined never to be remembered. While others take attention they scarcely deserve, some must lurk on the edge of the spotlight, destined to be ignored despite their accomplishments. When it comes to the American post-hardcore scene, Boysetsfire are one of a number of bands who have a right to feel hard done by.
Their superb sophomore effort, ‘After the Eulogy’, released in 2000, is rarely spoken of. Although it was not quite as revolutionary as At The Drive-In's ‘Relationship of Command’, out later that same year, this seems unfair.
We shouldn't be all that surprised, then, that the band called time in 2007. Two albums followed ‘After the Eulogy’, and while the critical reaction remained positive, commercial success always eluded them for the most part. ‘While a Nation Sleeps...’ is, therefore, a comeback record with a lot on its plate. Not only must it contend with the weight of expectation from rabid fans, it must go some way to securing the legacy Boysetsfire deserve.
It is hard to imagine many Boysetsfire fans being disappointed with this album. It’s the sort of powerful, aggressive, deeply melodic fare that the band was putting out over a decade ago.
Predominantly things are of an extremely high standard, with tracks like Closure and Everything Went Black showcasing a band still at the top of their game despite a few years out of action. There’s also a consistent political message running throughout, something the band has always emphasised, thanks to samples taken from Charlie Chaplin’s famous closing speech in ‘The Great Dictator’.
At first glance this could be the best record Boysetsfire have made, bar ‘After the Eulogy’. This is searing melodic hardcore at its most thrillingly enjoyable, even if the style has now become saturated with as many imitators as innovators. However, the flaw in ‘While a Nation Sleeps...’ is that it won’t change anyone’s mind about this band. For those who always saw Boysetsfire as also-rans there is nothing here that will alter that perception.
This is partly because the band falter at a couple of crucial junctures. Contemporaries like At the Drive-In and Thursday were always capable of changing the pace, and even throwing in reasonably convincing elements of experimentation. Boysetsfire aren’t at their best when doing either of those things. There are no real surprises on ‘While a Nation Sleeps...’, including the fact that the ballad-like Reason to Believe is the weakest cut on the album.
This is a record at its best when spitting out vitriolic fury left, right and centre but, at times, this is what causes it to sound just a little dated. While today’s post-hardcore ringleaders, such as Defeater and Letlive., are pulling new tricks out of the bag, Boysetsfire are sticking to the same strengths that made them such an exciting prospect at the turn of the century. They do what they do brilliantly, but sadly it’s unlikely that will see them get as much respect as they deserve.
Thu June 27th 2013 - MANSFIELD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE The Oddfellows
Sun June 30th 2013 - LONDON O2 Academy Islington
Mon July 1st 2013 - MANCHESTER NQ Live
Tue July 2nd 2013 - BRISTOL Fleece
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