Bury Tomorrow's Newest Record 'Cannibal' is, Another Bury Tomorrow Record I Guess

Late last year I wrote a review for an album called Pressure by a Melodic Metalcore band called Wage War. While I’ve always loved the genre of Melodic Metalcore, even the stuff that leans to the softest and most Melodic stuff, I found that album kind of just left me a little frustrated. On paper it was right up my alley - I’ve always loved writing the kind of riffs on my guitar that would fit right into an album like that, but I think it was that record that even convinced me to change the way that I approach my instrument of choice. See, as much as I love Metalcore and that brand of digestible Alternative Metal, it is so unbelievably played out. I’ll stan bands like Periphery til the day I die, but I am so sick of so many bland and predictable Metalcore bands essentially putting out the exact same record every time their album cycle comes around. That brings me to Bury Tomorrow. I gave their last record Black Flame a 7.7/10, as it was one that didn’t reinvent the wheel at all but still delivered a solid (yet safe) brand of Melodic Metalcore. Since I was an absolute sucker for that sound back in 2018 especially, I found myself getting quite a bit of enjoyment out of it - however even then I felt like it was a really safe and laid back release. Now, with Bury Tomorrow returning with a new full length LP I figured I’d check in and see how they fare now that my tastes have altered a little bit against their favor. While they’ve honestly improved over their last record, this album will not be receiving a 7.7/10. Here’s why.

These guys have energy and musical talent. In 2018, I would have given this album an 8.5. Even in 2020, I actually really enjoy this record from a purely subjective standpoint. When I shut my brain off and just lose myself in the chugging, contrast between clean and unclean vocals I love so much and wild guitar riffage I fall back in love with the sound. However, the second my brain turns back on I find myself remembering that I’ve heard this very same album a million times. Granted, it’s a really good album if you know what I mean. If you’re still into what this band is doing you are going to be head over heels for this record, and I totally respect that. The guitar work on this thing is nothing short of insane with it’s blistering Djent riffs and soaring leads bringing more to the table than they honestly needed to. The searing hooks and brutal breakdowns are also extremely high quality and appearingly lend themselves perfectly to exactly what a Melodic Metalcore fan would want. I mean really, this is the total package. Daniel Winter-Bates’ vocals are otherworldly and the rhythm section is intense and does their job perfectly. The songs are well written, the performances are tight, and everything comes together exactly how it’s supposed to - and there’s the problem.

This sounds exactly how it’s supposed to. I cannot count on two hands the amount of times I have reviewed this exact same album since I started reviewing music in 2018. After the Burial, The Amity Affliction, Atreyu, Born of Osiris, Blessthefall, CrazyEightyEight, Crown the Empire, Fire From the Gods, Killswitch Engage, Light the Torch, Northlane, Palisades, Trivium, Wage War and While She Sleeps have all made this exact same album within the last 3 years. That’s only counting the ones that I reviewed, and it’s not counting the ones that are extremely similar like Architects and the new Code Orange. Granted I enjoyed almost all of those albums, but do you see my point? At what point does a genre become oversaturated? Bury Tomorrow have undergone some musical improvements since their last release, but while this new record is certainly better than their last it does literally nothing to improve upon the oversaturation of the genre. There is nothing about this album that is different from any of the other albums I listed, aside from Fire From the Gods having some Rap Rock elements I guess. Of course there are small variations between every band as no musician sounds exactly the same as the next, but I can’t help but start to feel sick of a genre that used to be one of my absolute favorites.

When I go back and listen to this exact same album that’s been put out by any number of bands now, I actually really enjoy it. Even this new Bury Tomorrow is something I can definitely enjoy on a subjective level. It’s right up my alley. However, I’m not going to write an overwhelmingly positive review for an album that I literally cannot recognize. I have listened to this exact same album a million times, yet I could never actually distinguish the Bury War’s from the Born of Engage’s, North Afflictions and While She Torch’s of the world. I’m totally fine with wild Djent riffs and fiery blast beats filling my head with that perfect kind of noise, but I think it’s time we start expecting that bands put a spin on the formula. I love a good Melodic Metalcore chorus as much as the next guy, but can we get something different surrounding those breakdowns and hooks? Can we maybe get a cool concept album that shakes up the scene a little bit? One with some artsy passages and cool interludes that tell a story? It doesn’t have to be critic bait, either. I’ll totally be down for some critically bashed Metalcore record that has like a saxophone or trap beat or something in it as long as it sounds good. Just please, for the love of the genre, stop making this exact same album. I have heard it more than any other album in existence, and I’ve heard a lot of albums.

I really enjoy the new Bury Tomorrow while it’s on believe it or not, I really do. It’s the second that it turns off that I completely forget everything that I just heard. There are some good songs I added to my playlists, five of them to be exact, but for the most part this is just so unbelievably predictable. I’m fine with predictable records too, believe me. Just this year I gave Dance Gavin Dance and Lil Uzi Vert 9/10’s, and those are two obvious cases of knowing exactly what you’re going to get. With this though, I just can’t look past it. I can’t look past the fact that the Metal industry has left me listening to the exact same album once a month as if it’s new. I’m sure I’ll listen to whatever these guys and even Wage War do next, but it’ll be with baited breath hoping that I hear something different. I know it’s hard to evolve and change up your formula as an artist, trust me I do. There comes a point though where every band has to do something to keep people interested. I don’t think the Melodic Metalcore world has gotten that memo, as it seems like every band in the genre has collectively decided they just aren’t going to try and evolve at any point. I guess it really wasn’t just a phase, mom. Cannibal is the same Bury Tomorrow record as all the other Bury Tomorrow records. The production quality has increased and there are definitely some better riffs and choruses, but at its core it is the exact same album. I’ve always loved this generic and digestible form of Melodic Metalcore, but even a massive fan like myself has to draw the line at some point. I love this album while it’s on, but as soon as it’s off it completely escapes my memory because it’s the exact same as all the other Melodic metalcore records that have come out recently. - 5.9/10 (Best Songs - The Grey (VIXI), Quake, Voice & Truth)