Volume #147: After the Apocalypse -“Factions”
Rustbelt Rock Review
By: Z.M. Delgado
Rustbeltrockreview.com
Volume #147: After the Apocalypse -“Factions”
Release date: 7/19/2024
Hello my fellow Rockers, and welcome back to the Rustbelt Rock Review. It is my pleasure to sit down with you for yet another examination of what’s fresh, new and exciting here in the Cleveland Underground Scene. This week I have something most excellent to talk about: The newest installment by After the Apocalypse, the long awaited album “Factions.” The album packs 9 new songs (plus an intro track) into 44 minutes of Nu-metal fury. Released this month, one wild night at The Foundry, this album has been burning up my ears for the past week. I have done my studies, and listened hard, all in preparation for this discussion. So without further adieu lets dig into this package and see what shakes out.
Well this album delivers a hit right from the get... My favorite track is without a doubt “Kingdom Come.” This is the first song on the album and it is a beast. Opening with thundering drums and an undeniably bitchin riff, this song grabs you from it’s first shot. With a hard charging meter and powerful delivery this track is truly brutal. But it’s not just pure heaviness that makes me select this one, but also it’s use of melody. Whether it is the exceptional Guitar work or the heartfelt “Whoas!,” “Kingdom Come” hits like a hammer and starts off “Factions” in exactly the right way.
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Next I want you to take a listen to “Shadows.” This song is at the far opposite end of the Nu-Metal spectrum than “Kingdom Come.” The verses come rapped rather than screamed bringing a heavy Hip-Hop influence into the mix. Don’t worry though, the screams are still there, reemerging in multiple different ways adding a deeper layer of heaviness beneath the flowing rhymes. Also noteworthy on this track is the plucky Bass sound and outstanding use of melodic vocals on the chorus.
My final selection from this record is “Aaa.” I don’t know what it is exactly that makes this song jump out at me, but there is definitely something going on here that utterly stomps. Maybe its the Vocal attack, which is monstrous, aggressive and in your face. Perhaps it’s the Drums which pound and are driving from the first note. Then there is the Bass sound which thrums along, reverberating and holding down the thunder. And of course there is the ripping guitar riffs that really adds teeth the mix. From it’s opening drum roll to it’s closing scream, “Aaa” is pure moshpit inspiration and it closes the album out with a resonating bang.
After the Apocalypse: Live at The Foundry
So in the end, what do I think? Well this is a tough one for me, because my feelings toward Nu-Metal are complicated at best. You see it is a hugely diverse genre with sounds varying drastically from one artist to the next. While I love bands like Coal Chamber, Static-X and Mudvayne, I have a strong dislike for Limp Bizkit, Deftones and Disturbed. I tell you this because I want you to understand that when I say, “I like After the Apoclaypse,” it actually means I consider them to be exceptional and much more than a mere Nu-Metal act. With that being said, I have to tell you I really enjoy “Factions.” It is a strong, complex and diverse album. After the Apocalypse has arranged pieces from some of the best characteristics of their genre, and assembled them into a sound that is entirely their own. With “Factions” they have returned better and stronger than ever with a collection of songs that truly speak for themselves. If you are a fan of Nu-Metal, particularly the heavier side of the genre, then I would highly recommend this record. I also feel this album has a lot to offer fans outside of NU-Metal, like myself. I think any Metal Head that gives it a listen will find something to enjoy from “Factions.” This album just rocks too damn hard for you not to.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Rustbeltrockreview.com
7/28/2024
(After the Apocalypse- “Factions”: ATA returns with an incredible sophomore effort. Intense and passionate, “Factions” hits hard in both the head and the heart. This is an album for the headbangers to break their necks to.)
Links:
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