Album 3 with a little more mass appeal

Because you could be very curious to see if you liked the first two albums of the band. A new bass player (Aaron Pauley), who also sings, a producer (David Bendeth), the more in other musical fields (Kaiser Chiefs, Papa Roach, Paramore) is on the way and then, of course, the first single YOURE NOT ALONE that for December pretty caused a stir on the web, with quite a few negative reviews from fans of the first two albums. Insufficient hardness, too little riffs, no double bass drumming and no screams, many feared that OMAM after beloved album The Flood to Metalcore would softening on the third album.

Restoring Forces are to this question a crystal clear Yes and no as an answer. OMAM have not completely moved away from their original sound, but they have it clearly extended to a softer, more melodic component that will appeal to fans of more mainstream rock. The band between these two poles will change not just between songs, but usually even within the songs. Because of this back and forth between styles results in a quite dynamic. The opener PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT still beats a clear bridge to The Flood, hard, fast, shouted more than sung. But already the second song FEELS LIKE FOREVER is a good example, for what I said above. The instrumental parts show the known hardness, but they are in complete contrast to the very catchy chorus, the song could easily help to chart position. YOU MAKE ME SICK has a similar structure. From this dynamic most of the songs live on Restoring Forces, but in some places the door is open even further, so IDENTITY DISORDER has an intro, which is almost techno, and with SPACE ENOUGH TO GROW It even has a ballad on the album made. But for all the stylistic doors are in some places again brutally happened in the truest sense of the word. BONES EXPOSED eg, fast, hard, messy, directly in the moshpit.

I like the result of good overall, the balancing act between the styles create OMAM very confident. Who stands only on the old sound and the true hardness, will not be completely disappointed by the album but may need to look for a new band. To wish the band remains in any case, that they still can to win a few fans.