ACROSS THE SUN - Before The Night Takes Us CD Review

ARTIST: Across the Sun
TITLE: Before the Night Takes Us
YEAR: 2011
LABEL: Metal Blade
REVIEWED BY: John Roach

When trying to explain to someone about a new band that they have to check out, one would generally try and say that they sound like (insert band name here) or a combination of Band A and Band B. Since I really want YOU to check this band out I'm going to say that I hear a lot of different bands intertwined here. Imagine if you were to mix Mutiny Within, All That Remains, The Agonist, Killswitch Engage, and maybe an extra key/synth player and you would get the American band Across the Sun. With this huge mix you get such a familiar but unique sound; a sound that you can hear throughout the album "Before the Night Takes Us", which is their first album through Metal Blade records.

Since this is my first encounter with Across the Sun, I believe that the first few moments of an album should catch my attention enough to get me to invest my time. I mean yeah, in this case I'm reviewing the album so I am investing my time but I'm listening as if I'm not going to be doing a write up. As a new listener and potential fan, this is critical. I can say though in the first few seconds of track 1, I was sold. The album starts off with an empowering energy packed tune fittingly called "Tipping the Scales". This song has what you can expect to keep hearing which is melodically driven guitars and synth with clean/ guttural vocals. You also have your chugging bass lines with double kick drums. The title track "Before the Night Takes Us" is probably the best track that showcases all of what Across the Sun delivers. The dynamics flow and change often to give the entire record a life of its own.

This album is a lot like a hurricane with a constantly changing path. You get hit with the outer walls which are full of power and force and then you have times where the eye travels over you and its calm for a while. The destructive winds are still in sight and you can never tell when the walls are going to just jump at you. Certain songs are just the eye (A Moment of Clarity) and some are just blowing a gale (Ghost of Grandeur) but, more so than not, it's the mixture of both. I will go on record on saying that I'm not the hugest fan of break downs. I find bands who do favour them over use the hell out of them to 'enhance' a song. If done right I think they should be sprinkled in places and not just dumped on everything. Across the Sun does sprinkle them in a couple songs but this to me is the right way of going about it. They are there on a handful of songs but don't over stay their welcome. I nod to this band for using break downs the way they did. Overall the entire musical direction is progressive and melodic with a hint of avant-garde metal elements here and there.

Shove this album into your music player of choice and you'll instantly relate to the album cover. At this very moment I'm listening to the 7th track called "A Moment of Clarity" while looking at the cover and I'm getting lost in the different deep meanings that can be pulled from it. Give it a try to that song! It's probably one of the best album covers of this year so props to whoever came up with the concept and to whoever brought it to life! Bottom line is that if you like the bands I listed earlier than you will get a kick out of Across the Sun. If they were to tour with any one of those acts it would be an epic show *hint hint*. Go check them out!!

TRACKLISTING:

01. Tipping the Scales
02. Song for the Hopeless
03. Seasons
04. Descent & Discovery
05. Ghost of Grandeur
06. Before the Night Takes Us
07. A Moment of Clarity
08. Blessing in Disguise
09. In the Face of Adversity
10. Belay My Judgement