Twelve Tribes “Midwest Pandemic” CD

It has long been my opinion that Twelve Tribes is one of the single most criminally underrated bands out there right now, and while I appreciate Ferret Music for trying, stickering the front of their latest album, "Midwest Pandemic", with "For fans of: Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and As I Lay Dying" probably won't do the band much good, because such comparisons are absurdly inaccurate and to even utter the name of Twelve Tribes in relation to As I Lay Dying is both insulting and offensive—thus a grievous offense against the very band you're attempting to "pitch". You see, to infer that Twelve Tribes is a simple "metalcore" band is to create a cheap and misleading representation of what the band has to offer—which is actually far more inventive and individual than they're often given credit for. While the foundation is probably what I would consider to be post-hardcore in its use of intense rhythms and discordant guitar textures mixed with forceful slabs of intricately woven melodies, their attack is definitely more aggressive than the bulk of what's been tagged "post-hardcore" over the years, and despite some amazingly powerful and downright "catchy" elements, these dudes can certainly get pretty fuckin' vicious with their chaotic and abrasive bursts from time to time. The vocals are equally comfortable unleashing harsh screams/yells as they are singing or walking the line between the two—switching up between all such deliveries with ease. Similarly, the energy of the songwriting is held in place through fluid arrangements that relatively seamlessly weave through dynamics and influences, and since the bulk of these tracks are surprisingly succinct, the listening experience moves along quite well. Another superb recording and a brilliant layout (their best visual presentation to date) round out the complete package, so... I don't know what else to say. Contrary to what some would have you believe, Twelve Tribes is in fact one of those bands that's hard to properly do justice with words, so it's best to let the music speak for itself:

Twelve Tribes "Pagan Self Portrait"
Twelve Tribes "History Versus the Pavement"

If you enjoy the above two tracks, I heavily encourage you to purchase this album, as well as 2004's "The Rebirth of Tragedy" (which remains the band's masterwork to date) have you not had the great pleasure of experiencing it. I can't believe more people aren't into this band, and I truly hope they start to achieve the respect they deserve in the near future. Make the grab:

Ferret Music
RevHQ
@ Very Distribution