The Miles Between – Deceiver
Mediaskare Records

Rating:  

If I had to write a review of this album in one sentence, “this album is awesome”, would be that sentence. You are lucky that we don’t publish one sentence reviews on notPop, so here for your enjoyment I will explain why “Deceiver” is such a great album.

From the first few riffs and screams on the opening track, “Apollyon”, The Miles Between set the bar high by establishing the aggression and energy that is a constant through the entire album. That’s one of the reasons I’m so into this release, it doesn’t let up, and doesn’t give you time to rest.

Vocally, Chris, the singer doesn’t try and get fancy and slip in singy, soft talking parts, or overdone deep growls, he simply delivers the lyrics in a straight forward powerful shout/scream that drives home the point that he honestly cares about what he is saying. When he screams “You are not alone!” at the end of track 6, “Unswitched Breakers”, it doesn’t feel like he is singing a song, it feels more like he is delivering a message to you personally. It’s clear that their is thought, heart and consideration behind this albums lyrics, and that passion translates into the listening experience. The frustration in his voice also feels very genuine.

Musically, The Miles Between are very tight. This recording has really good guitar, bass and drum tones. The drums are crisp and sharp. The kick drum delivers with out sounding mechanical or clicky, something that is all to common in today’s hardcore/metal recordings. The guitars are distinct from each other, but really work well as a team. In my opinion, the recording quality of this album is outstanding. The tones and sounds for all the guitars are all on point.

Putting the vocals and music together produce some great songs. Track 4, “Death and It’s Kingdom”, is a great example of this. Out of the gates the song starts with a lot of energy from everyone in the band, and maintains that energy through several transitions in the song. Deceiver delivers something for everyone, from gang vocals, to sing-alongs, to devastating breakdowns, the non stop energy never lets up.

My only complaint is that the album feels like it’s to short. Deceivers 9 tracks clock in just shy of 22 minutes. I have to listen to this album 2 or 3 times in a row before I can walk away from it. I guess that more of a compliment then a criticism.

In a time when it seems like most bands are more concerned with getting “big”, rather then putting out good music, it’s easy to spot the bands that truly are passionate about what they are producing. The Miles Between is one of those bands. It’s plain to see that Deceiver is an honest labor of love. Give this album a listen and you will know what I mean.

This is a great album for people that like bands like Santa Sangre, Hatebreed, and The Acacia Strain