WORDS LIKE DAGGERS
Literature
[Indianola Records]
Verdict: 7.5/10
RIYL: Progressive melodic metalcore

I hate this over-used saying, but f*## it, it’s so true in this case. What a different a year makes. I reviewed WORDS LIKE DAGGERS’ debut EP last year (here: http://lmpmagazine.com/2011/07/15/album-vs-album-words-like-daggers-vs-within-wolves) and ended up with the conclusion that the band had a ton of potential, so it would be very interesting to see what’d they would do with it. Well a funny thing happened in between albums, as Literature is fantastic. Taking all that is enjoyable about melodic metalcore/post-hardcore a la a mix of BLESSTHEFALL and OH, SLEEPER, the group has added in some much-welcomed progressive elements, and the results are good, oh so good. There are many moments of mathcore madness and other times when time signatures change more frequently than the weather in Ohio. All of this adds up to a fairly captivating release from these relative newcomers. Literature puts its best foot forward with a “Preface” that is an actual song, instead of a useless introduction. The track is a four minute song that is a literal table of contents on what you can expect with the record: moments of hard-hitting maelstrom, melody aplenty, and thoughtful songwriting. Each song has some solid moments that differentiate it from the other, making this an album that is easy to listen to in its entirety. The only major problems are that the songs themselves are not very memorable, and that a few of the more generic elements of metalcore rear their ugly heads in a few spots. But for the most part, Literature is the musical equivalent of Gatorade on a hot day: it’s not perfect, but it goes down smoothly. – by Nicholas Senior

>> Recommended Listening: “Preface” and “Cheers Gents! We’re Going Down Together”
>> Release Date: April 24th, 2012
>> In Conclusion: For those that enjoy a more progressive take on metalcore, give WORDS LIKE DAGGERS a listen. The improvement from the EP is highly evident and appreciated.