Farewell To Freeway – Only Time Will Tell

I must admit that when it comes to the easily-selling and widely absorbed by the new-age “metalkids”, branch of metal-core, I am a little bit stricter in reviewing than usual. Nonetheless I must also admit that the Canadians Farewell to Freeway are fairly good players and exploit in a very effective manner the music techniques that make metal-core so popular; plenty of melodies, sentimental clean vocals changing constantly parts with distorted aggressive ones, generous doses of metallic hooks aiming to keep balance between the rough and the tender.

“Only Time Will Tell” reflects clearly an improved band, released just one year after their first album” Definitions”. What I should notice is that the second half of the album is quite worthy and more interesting than the first half. Perhaps another arrangement or including less tracks would be a wiser choice and would make the album more enjoyable. If I was asked to pick a top-three that would be Portrait, Cemetary Dates  and No Fate ,No End. I tried hard to get rid of my subjective tastes, and still there is nothing to make me hesitate to say that this is by no means an album that would thrill you, nothing new, nothing innovative, nothing memorable.

Should I point out the band’s good playing and clever orchestration, or even the flawless production?Hell,yes.But in my humble opinion these are not the top qualities a new band should focus on.Asking your audience to close their eyes and recognize , being as sure as death ,your art…well, that is a dream every band should be working on.     Hoping to hear something descriptive of  their own soul, free from external needs and expectations, I’ll be waiting for a third album by these five talented musicians. Until then, if you ,Reader, are a fan of pleasant,melodic, easily-heard and perfectly executed typical metal-core, take this album and enjoy!