乐队列表 Metalcore No Bragging Rights Cycles

If you're as much of a fan of the metalcore genre as I am, the name No Bragging Rights probably rings a few bells. When I first discovered this band, I didn't think this would become one of my favorite hardcore bands. Mike Perez has some above average vocal work, which continues to stay a highlight. His singing is just as astounding, if not more so, than his powerful screams. The previously released full-lengths "The Consequences of Dreams" and "Illuminator" were good (with "Illuminator" being a much weaker release), but they were still searching for a steadier sound that would set them apart from sounding eerily similar to their counterparts.

When I realized that No Bragging Rights was set to release another album two years later after "Illuminator", I was curious as to how or if the sound had matured at all from the aforementioned release. I anxiously awaited the October 16th release date, and decided to give it an objective listen. The opening track "The Advent Of Change" begins with a mellow guitar strum, and progresses into the familiar melodic hardcore sound that No Bragging Rights is known for. Lyrically, "Cycles" seems to revolve around negative situations throughout our typical daily lives, and through hope these situations will someday improve. Here's an excerpt from the second track "Hope Theory" that helps to prove it:

"Never look back;
Never lose hope,
I will never look back,
I will never lose… never lose hope.

I believe things can change,
I believe that brighter days… are coming."

Overall, the musicianship on each track seems to flow rather smoothly, and not surprisingly, there isn't much filler. The guitar work is incredibly dynamic, changing from chugs to interesting riffs which further solidifies this album as their most accomplished effort to date. What's even more enjoyable is the fact that there are a total of four guest vocalists on "Cycles", and each of them lend their vocals quite nicely and in their own unique ways. These guest vocalists are: Davey Muise of Vanna, Mattie Montgomery of For Today, Matt Lanners of The Greenery, and last but not least, Brendan Murphy of Counterparts. What I love most about this album is simply how natural it seems, it's each member of the band cooperating effectively to create this memorable achievement.

Now, is this album flawless? Yes and no, lyrically, it slightly suffers from repetitiveness and the shallow theme of overcoming negativity has been used before. Not that this is necessarily a fault, especially since No Bragging Rights manages to stand their ground. Musically, it seems to go above and beyond the metalcore standard. Every member of this band can be heard on this album without much of a issue; the production quality is simply fantastic. It's not an overproduced sound in the least bit, the vocals are raw enough to convince an unwary listener that this is still an underground band. Even the bass playing adds a backbone to the prominent guitar riffs and chugs that are littered throughout the album, causing these features to sound amplified and crisp. I'm expecting this band to improve even further upon this release, and will definitely be keeping my eyes and ears open for any upcoming news on No Bragging Rights in the future. Simply put, if you're searching for a memorable metalcore album that will satisfy your cravings, venture no further than "Cycles".