Haste The Day
Dreamer

Campus Correspondent CD Review By Jim Simmons
Arizona State University

With so many clone bands borrowing from each other’s playbook in the hardcore genre, I was admittedly a bit skeptical when popping in Haste The Day’s latest powerhouse release Dreamer (Solid State Records). Though I listened to track after track waiting for that poorly written song, that guitar riff that has been used a thousand times or the annoying guitar squeals common among metal bands, not a single shred of derivativeness  came through the speakers. 

No way could a small time metal band on an indie label create an album with so much dynamic power, but alongside producer Andreas Magnusson (Black Dahlia Murder, Becoming The Archetype), Haste the Day has truly recorded its best disc to date. The album opens with drummer Devin Chaulk commanding immediate attention with catchy yet intricate beats throughout “68.” Front man Stephen Keech presents some of the best screams in modern day metal, while rounding out with strong melodic vocals. Brennan Chaulk adds epic guitar riffs, pounding your heart right out of your chest.

However, a couple of songs break the mold and require special note. “Labyrinth” drops the album down to an ambient level. There’s even an acoustic song, “Autumn,” to end on a pensive note. All of these elements create a formula for a quality album that rivals some of the strongest and best selling metal bands like Bullet For My Valentine and Killswitch Engage. If you are a fan of modern metal, this is a must add to the collection.