I haven't stopped listening to the TruthBeKnown CD since I got it. Blood and Ink Records never cease to sign amazing (and underrated) bands, and TruthBeKnown is no exception.

Track one, Against The Dying of the Light, kicks the CD off with heavy guitars, and staggered drumbeats with plenty of stops right at the beginning. After that, lots and lots of cymbals, combined with simple yet stunning guitars bring in the vocals. Oh man. This guy has one of the greatest voices I've heard in a long time. He's got the standard hardcore/metal scream, but changes it up with an unusually diverse (for hardcore) tonal range, making it strangely (but pleasantly) melodic. Around the midpoint of the song, there's an acoustic guitar interlude with laid back drumming, and honest, non-pretentious singing behind it. Then the song breaks apart with urgent guitars into a breakdown that will get even the most timid kid moving and into the pit.

Track 2, Every Scar, features more of the vocals that really make this record stand out. Most hardcore/metalcore albums you pick up pretty much go nowhere in the possible range of tones that a particular vocalist could reach. TruthBeKnown mixed high-pitched screams with low growls, shouting, and brief interludes of singing. I think that is one of the things that makes this record stand out from the metalcore norm, so to speak. This song also has another great dynamic: chugga-chugga parts that aren't quite breakdowns...the guitars play out a rhythm, then back off and let the drums do all the talking, then more guitars, then back off. That really makes this song one of the high points on the record.

Other highlights for me... the drums at the beginning of track 5. The bass pedal hits this offbeat rhythm that I don't ever remember hearing before. The rest of By The Flames is memorable as well, combining a bit of singing with more screams. Plenty of cymbals and heavy, punchy guitar work fill it out. Another excellent part is the breakdown in the middle of track 7, Fed Deception. A heavy, certainly danceable guitar part runs alongside some impressive drums, and the vocals alternate from lower hardcore-ish screams to high-pitched metal hisses. Hah. I can't get enough of it.

The thing I think I enjoy most about this record is the fact that nothing is overdone. The lyrics are poetic enough to catch your attention and make you think about what they're saying without being pretentious. The riffs are simple enough to follow without getting lost, but don't get redundant or boring. The drummer used plenty of cymbals (which gets big points in my book), but there's some nice low-end work as well. The vocals are impressive throughout, and even though he incorporates a good amount of singing into the record, it's not overprocessed or nitpicky. When I listen to this CD, I get the feeling that when I see TruthBeKnown live, it will sound very much the same (i.e. I won't be disappointed because I heard an overly produced record).

There's also some nicely rendered photography incorporated into the packaging. Dark-value photos have been tinted red, and the cover image is nicely done, a piece of striped cloth on some worn-looking stairs; the image fades to black on the right side of the cover.

I recommend this CD to any fan of hardcore. TruthBeKnown now stand out in my mind as someone to watch in the coming years. I can't wait to see where they'll go. Especially if they keep putting out records as good as this one. Buy It Now.