Madness (All That Remains album) explained

Madness
Type:Studio
Artist:All That Remains
Cover:ATRMadness.jpg
Border:yes
Released:April 28, 2017
Recorded:2016
Studio:West Valley Studios, Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Length:50:21
Producer:Howard Benson[1]
Prev Title:The Order of Things
Prev Year:2015
Next Title:Victim of the New Disease
Next Year:2018

Madness is the eighth studio album by American metal band All That Remains. It was released on April 28, 2017,[2] on Razor & Tie Records. Madness is the first studio album produced by Howard Benson, as well as the first album to feature bassist Aaron Patrick. While this is the band's next-to-last album with guitarist Oli Herbert, it is also their last album to be released in his lifetime.

Background

Vocalist Phil Labonte told Revolver magazine about band's approach on the new disc: "We wanted to mix it up a little bit and write from a vocal perspective this time. So I went to L.A. and came up with vocal ideas and melodies and then sent those chord progressions back to Oli Herbert and he wrote riffs in response to that. Doing it this way turned the record into a vocal album as opposed to a guitar album. And that affected some things. Like, there might be less intricacy in the riffs because they were written in response to my voice."[3]

Musical style

Labonte added that the majority of the new songs features "significant programming and electronic sounds. And that's something we wanted to have flowing through the entire record. So you're gonna hear that kind of influence on most of the tracks."[4]

Phil also stated: "On this record, there's five songs on the record that are exactly what you would expect from All That Remains. There's some songs where we kind of were, like, 'All right, let's push this and maybe change what we can do, or what All That Remains is allowed to do.' But it ain't like we're not heavy anymore. And if you're just, like, 'Oh, they're not heavy anymore,' then you're just not listening."[4]

Reception

The album received mixed reviews. Aaron J. Marko of Exclaim! described the album as mediocre, generic and archaic.[5] Christopher Di Carlo of Overdrive magazine,[6] on the other hand, described the album as beautiful yet heavy.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Phil Labonte; all music composed by All That Remains, except "The Thunder Rolls," written by Garth Brooks and Pat Alger.

Personnel

All That Remains

Additional musicians

Freedom Chorus

Production

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All That Remains: Listen To Two New Songs 'Madness' And 'Safe House'. Blabbermouth.net . February 2, 2017. February 20, 2017.
  2. Web site: All That Remains, 'Madness' – Exclusive Lyric Video Premiere . Loudwire . February 27, 2017 . March 5, 2017 . Childers, Chad.
  3. Web site: ALL THAT REMAINS Announces 'Madness' U.S. Tour. blabbermouth.net. March 14, 2017. January 18, 2018.
  4. Web site: ALL THAT REMAINS Singer Responds To 'Sellout' Accusations, Says There Is Plenty Of Heavy Material On Upcoming Album. blabbermouth.net. February 22, 2017. January 18, 2018.
  5. Web site: All That Remains Madness. exclaim.ca. January 18, 2018.
  6. Web site: Album Review: All That Remains – Madness – Overdrive Music Magazine. Overdrive. May 30, 2017. January 18, 2018.
  7. Web site: Josh Strock – Credits – AllMusic. AllMusic. January 18, 2018.