The Amity Affliction — Misery (08/24/18)
The Amity Affliction is one of the biggest names in metalcore to come out of Australia in the past ten years. After becoming vaguely familiar with the name I gave them my first listen with 2014’s Let the Ocean Take Me. While the album as a whole was far from breathtaking, it supplied me with one of the most emotionally powerful songs of the year in “Don’t Lean On Me.” The track is a wonderful encompassment of their mentally unstable metalcore sound and I know I wasn’t the only one who felt a strong connection to it. 2016’s This Could Be Heartbreak provided a few more songs (the singles) that have kept me coming back, but the majority of the songs I hear today and hardly even recognise.
Coming into the band’s latest release, Misery, I was confident they’d pump out at least a couple of heavy-hitters that would be worth my time. The first single, “Ivy (Doomsday)” was released in late June with an accompanying 8-minute video that would make up part 1 of a 3-part short film starring the band members and written by unclean vocalist Joel Birch. Though a well-produced set of videos that the band clearly put a lot of resources into, the story is just a mess of brutality and anger and shows a side to the band that I can’t get behind. I’m all for guns and violence and cursing but they take it to an obnoxious level in the videos and it made my initial exposure to their first two singles (“Feels Like I’m Dying” dropped late July) much harder to digest.
Both singles however turn out to be very good songs on their own. “Ivy (Doomsday)” eases you into the album with a soft-sung verse by clean vocalist Ahren Stringer before the song throws you into a massive hook sung by Birch. The lyrics are apparently regarding how Birch treated his wife during his addictions, which is given potency in a line like, “It feels like I could sink forever/And I am anchored in your heart.” “Feels Like I’m Dying” shows some electronic elements from the get-go (something fans might not be too comfortable with) and Birch holds off on the screams for a huskily-delivered verse, again, something fans aren’t used to hearing. As much as fans seem to be unsatisfied with the direction they’re heading with this one, I can’t get over the absolutely crushing drop into the chorus. Yeah, they play with electronics and it’s more rock leaning than metal, but that doesn’t stop the song from knocking me off my feet with one of the best hooks of the year.
If they’re following the pattern of their past two releases, most of the remaining tracks should be uninspiring. Though I’m not left aching to return to most of them, there’s still quite a bit to be pleased with. “Holier Than Heaven” is laced with religious context, fighting a battle between heaven and hell, showing off a great back and forth between the co-vocalists. The title track is one I can see old fans being repulsed by, the band using auto-tune in a heavily produced hook, and “Burn Alive” doesn’t have much more to offer than a catchy chorus. I love the self-loathing anguish felt in the hook of “Kick Rocks”, Birch yelling, “just kick rocks, kick rocks/till your heart stops beating.”
“D.I.E.” is the third single and final part to the short film and continues the band’s use of acronyms for song titles (used on every album). It’s an easy choice for a single with its pounding hook, adding in some sparkling synths for atmosphere, as well as a solo from guitarist Dan Brown. Following track, “Drag The Lake” is one of my favourites, delivering a powerful chorus that suggests suicide by drowning, Birch and Stringer providing a back and forth between a pounding fury and a melodic cry. Closing track “The Gifthorse” is named after a band that was fronted by Shane Collins, a friend of Birch’s that committed suicide this past year. Despite the devastating context, I see the song as more of a personal therapy for Birch rather than one that has a huge impact on myself.
Overall, The Amity Affliction has given me my favourite release of their past three and offers up a few songs with potential to grace my top 100 of the year. They’re clearly heading in a Bring Me The Horizon direction with added use of electronics and much more frequent use of “clean” vocals from Birch. Six albums in, with one every second year, they don’t seem to be slowing down. Though they’ve undoubtedly lost fans along the way and probably lost some more with this one, they’re keeping me happy and I’m sure they’re pleasing many new ears. Till next time, Amity. 7.5/10
