Until recently, I had always dismissed Between the Buried and Me as a generic metal-core band without actually listening to them. But after a brief listen, I discovered how wrong I was.
The band’s main draw is how it blends so many different musical styles into the typical hardcore sound. This diversity has never been more apparent than on their new record, “Colors.” Elements of metal, prog, classic rock, jazz, bluegrass, and even emo are all accounted for here.
The album’s centerpiece is the epic “Ants of the Sky.” Clocking in at more than 13 minutes, the track features everything from soaring guitar solos to what sounds like a hoedown. The band’s eclectic range of influences is apparent all over the record, and it’s hard to pinpoint the main sound the band was going for.
The thing most noticeable about “Colors” is that it is truly an album, not just songs that make up an album. Everything flows perfectly, the songs blend together and it really should be taken in whole. Putting these tracks on shuffle or only listening to one or two is doing yourself a real disservice. And unlike most heavy records, this is a headphones record. While it certainly wouldn’t be bad jamming this album in your car or home stereo, you really need to listen to it with headphones on to appreciate the complex textures and unique song arrangements.
The only real complaint to be found with this record is that at times it’s a bit too jarring, jumping from one sound to another so abruptly. While the transitions are great, quickly going from death metal chorus to a bluegrass breakdown is not an easy thing to take in.
