All That Remains – Metal’s Next Superstars

So I guess technically All That Remains is not an unknown band – at least to people who listen to metal. But the goal of the site is to bring artists to light that a good number of people still may not know, so here we go.

Hailing from Massachusetts and described as ‘melodic death metal’ (isn’t that kind of an oxymoron?), I would personally categorize them as a metalcore band, the love child of metal and hardcore. Regardless of what genre they fall into, these guys know how to rock. Phil Labonte, the lead vocalist, makes his ability to switch between growling and singing seem effortless. Because they take this approach – which is more similar to Killswitch Engage than to a band such as As I Lay Dying – they become an act that not only metalheads can get into, but also people who are fans of hard rock. I’m still amazed by the fact that they haven’t reached a wider audience…yet.

Watch this, the official video for “Two Weeks”, which was the first single from their latest CD, Overcome:

If I had to suggest a starting place for you out of their discography, I would say start with Overcome, their latest CD, and then work your way backwards. The Fall of Ideals (the next one in line if you work in reverse order) is a little harder than Overcome, but still has some great tracks on it such as “This Calling”, “Six”, and “Whispers (I Hear You).” I’m still torn as to what CD I like better out of the two. Both are fantastic and showcase some seriously awesome guitar, drum, and vocal work. From there you can check out Between Silence and Solitude and This Darkened Heart, their first two releases. You really can’t go wrong with any of their albums, especially if you are a big fan of this genre.

After seeing these guys live at Rock on the Range a few weeks ago in Columbus, Ohio, I can testify that their live show is completely insane. Not only are they tight both musically and vocally live (which is sometimes difficult for any kind of rock act to do), the crowd absolutely exploded when they came out. They played on the second stage but I think the crowd may have been in more of a frenzy for them than for Slipknot, the headliners on the main stage. If you know anything about Slipknot’s live show, you know that topping the energy they bring is no easy feat. The only disappointing part of the entire set was that it only lasted about 40 minutes. Phil talked to the crowd a little but kept the banter to a minimum and got in as many songs as they could.

That being said, check out where you can see All That Remains live this summer and get your tickets! You will not regret it – especially on a tour like Mayhem Fest, a metalhead’s dream!

Click the album artwork below to get albums/songs from the iTunes store:

Overcome (2008)

The Fall of Ideals (2006)

This Darkened Heart (2004)

Or, if you prefer to shop at Amazon, check out their discography in CD and MP3 format: All That Remains

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