Artist: Aiden
Album: Nightmare Anatomy
Label: Victory Records
Rating:
Reviewer: John Frank

There is a lot of music coming out lately that seems to be trying to connect a hardcore sound with catchy pop melodies. Personally, I think most of it is not done well, and do not look forward to listening to more of it. When I heard the first song on this album, I was not really excited to keep listening. “Knife Blood Nightmare” isn’t really a bad song, I just don’t think it is a good introduction to this album. The second track, “The Last Sunrise” however is a big step up. The guitars really build up the energy for the track, and it is not let down when the chorus hits. At this point, Aiden is showing promise as being able to standout from the plethora of bands entering this scene.

The real standout track is the third, entitled “Die Romantic”. While it is not the first released single, I feel it will eventually be one, and will likely be a hit for the band. This is one of the most infectious, catchy songs I have heard in a while. While the lyrics are not really original, the chorus just plays over and over in your head, and you can’t help but like it. Obviously if this is my high point for the album, the rest will be a downhill fall. However, the album does not continue to die, and plateaus to a pretty enjoyable rhythm.

Overall, this is a very good debut album for the band. There is a lot of music in this genre right now, and it is hard to be original in that condition, and while the lyrics on this album are a bit overdone, the guitars and melodies make up for it. While “Nightmare Anatomy” is definitely not a hardcore album, it is far from being a pop record as well. This is definitely a good listen for people who don’t really want to listen to an entire album of screaming and lightning fast riffs, but want some substance at the same time.