Tag Archives: the ascent

01/27/2012

[MUSIC REVIEW] ‘The Ascent’ by Secrets

By lmpmagazine

The Ascent
by Secrets
[January 17, 2012 – Velocity Records / Rise Records]

Verdict: 6.5/10 (Stream It)
RIYL: Scream Out Loud, A Day to Remember, the Fall of Troy

Think of SECRETS’ debut the Ascent as a snowball rolling down a hillside. The opening “Genesis” opens the proceedings well enough, but as the Ascent progresses, it builds and grows with powerful waves of forceful swells and progressive breakdowns, most notably with the destructive back-to-back combo of “the Heartless Part” and “40 Below”, though the Ascent isn’t all such pomp and circumstance. SECRETS are a band at their very best when they kick things into a melodic gear and let their post-hardcore skills take center stage, as evidenced by popcore-esque tunes like “Somewhere in Hiding”, “Melodies” or “the Best You Can’t Be”, cuts that find the band flexing their dynamic muscles via soaring vocals and infectious hooks. Not to be overlooked are the production contributions of ex-A DAY TO REMEMBER guitarist Tom Denney, and you’ll see why as you make your way through this slate of songs. For a band that’s been together for around a year, the Ascent is a quality first offering and just a glimpse of what this promising San Diego quintet is capable of down the road.     -by Brian Campbell

Most Recommended Track: “The Heartless Part” – One of the heaviest tracks on the album, though it represents some of the albums better melodic hooks as well.
Studio Notes: Produced by ex-A Day to Remember guitarist Tom Denney
Release Date: January 17, 2012
In Conclusion: While it may be hard to pick Secrets and probably any song of this album out of a crowd full of their sonically cloned peers, still, the Ascent is worthy of at least a little bit of your time. Sure, the hallmarks of that mallcore type sound are here, but some of these songs are pretty damn good.

FOR A SECOND OPINION, CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW BY NICHOLAS SENIOR: http://lmpmagazine.com/2012/01/24/music-secrets-the-ascent-review/

AND A THIRD QUICKIE OPINION…
Verdict: 8.5/10
Apparently, out of the main staff writers here at LMP, I was the most impressed by this debut. However, is that really a surprise? I am, after all, the screamo fan of the staff. Any way, Secrets do a great job on The Ascent. While their ability to switch between brutal/intense to melodic/catchy isn’t something new to the scene, the band does it very well. As a result, there are plenty of great breakdowns and soaring choruses to be heard. Fans of screamo should really dig this, especially with the metalcore influences peppered throughout. Fans of the older Rise bands (those that really got the label popular) should certainly pick this one up without hesitation. — by Nathaniel Lay

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01/24/2012

[MUSIC] Secrets – The Ascent [REVIEW]

By lmpmagazine

SECRETS
The Ascent
[Rise Records/Velocity]
Verdict: 6/10
RIYL: WOE, IS ME, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE & THE COLOR MORALE

Much has been written about the modern post-hardcore “scene”, but for all the negatives, there is certainly a lot of quality bands that have emerged in the past five years, so fans of the genre have a plethora of groups to choose from. What differentiates one band from the other? THE WORD ALIVE features keyboards and technical riffing. CHIODOS and PIERCE THE VEIL employ progressive songwriting to add a unique energy to their songs. Where does new Rise Records signing SECRETS fit in the mold? Sadly they haven’t figured that out yet. For my money, their debut record, The Ascent, is more than competent post-hardcore. The melodies are there; vocalist Xander Bourgeois shares a kindred with MEMPHIS MAY FIRE’s singer Matty Mullins. His clean vocals are strong and melodic, and the harsh vocals have a certain meat behind them that is often lacking in younger bands. The problems lie with the music. There is little to nothing that helps them stand out from the crowd. There are breakdowns a plenty, and the songs seem tailor-made for maximum breakdown to hook ratio. In their favor, everything is done with a certain vigor that made me enjoy this more than I should have. I think maybe that is what SECRETS has going for them: passion. The problem is passion alone can’t captivate a listening audience for 36 minutes. For now, we are left with an enjoyably competent debut. Let’s wait and see if the band can improve with their sophomore release.        – by Nicholas Senior

Recommended Listening: “Melodies” and “The Heartless Part”
Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Production Notes: Produced by Tom Denney
In Conclusion: The secret to this band’s success is something that is not evident with their debut. The group needs to do more to differentiate itself from the pack in future releases.

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