Unglued Reviews

Emo-inclined melodic rock quintet Anberlin’s third full-length is far from a concept album, yet there remains a strong theme running through the songs, defined by singer Stephen Christian as “man against self”.

The instrumental soundscape of (Debut) sets the ambitious tone for the album, followed by the pummelling opening of Godspeed. Shards of guitar by Joseph Milligan and Nate Strayer then propel that song forward into a memorable chorus, one of many on the album. Adelaide is lighter and more melodic but has another big hook that makes it easy to sing along to.

If it’s rock songs you’re after, try the crashing half-tempo choruses of the moody Alexithymia, the resounding drums and gritty distorted guitars of A Whisper & A Clamor, the aggressive and sinister Reclusion or the thunderous Dismantle.Repair. The forcefulness of the instruments is in contrast to (and yet complemented by) Christian’s soaring and sensitive vocals – even his occasional scream sounds smooth.

In case the cultivated vocal delivery isn’t enough relief from the more intense songs, the album also offers respite in the form of the predominantly acoustic The Unwinding Cable Car and the angelic sounds of Inevitable, which mixes violin and acoustic guitar, as well as a percussive rhythm from a circle of floor toms towards the end.

The song cycle concludes with the nearly nine minute (*Fin), which sprawls from an acoustic beginning into a breathtaking display from the full band before adding a children’s choir, then ending with a slower coda.

After such a finale, the Special Edition’s three bonus songs (including covers of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by 80s icons The Smiths and The Promise by 80s duds When In Rome) work against the cohesion of the album but are nonetheless valuable. A bonus DVD documenting the making of Cities is also worth watching, unlike many bonus DVDs.

Owen Heitmann