Album Review: The Color Morale – Desolate Divine

Tyler H. August 17, 2016 208 Comments 525 views 0 likes

As humans, it’s inevitable that everyone grows, learns, adapts and changes. This affects everything we do in life as the resulting adaption or changes will flow over into other parts of our daily on-goings. For musicians, that includes the ideas and experiences that they carry into the studio with them from album to album. This concept of growth and change is one that metalcore outfit The Color Morale have never shy’d away from as their past few releases have been unique and ever so divisive, thrusting them into the spotlight of an ever-expanding fan-base. Known for delivering emotionally charged and hope-filled messages through smooth signing and crunchy riffs accompanied by frantic drumming, there’s been a style plastered associated with the band for the past few years. With their new record, Desolate Divine, the band once again opted for a stylistic change by scaling back the message of hope as they opt for a more honest to themselves message and sound driven by emotional vulnerability and past relationships. But does the record live up to the bands pedigree or does it fail to deliver on what they’re trying to get across?

[tw-toggle title=”About The Color Morale”]
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Fearless Records
Release: August 19, 2016
Connect: Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: iTunes | Google Play | Physical
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Never ones to stick with the same sound or production style, The Color Morale once again enlisted the help of a different producer as this time around they went with the exceptional Dan Korneff (A Day to Remember, The Devil Wears Prada, Pierce the Veil). This is an important aspect in the behind the scenes work for how Desolate Divine sounds overall as it is filled to the brim with a catchier, more anthemic style filled with soaring choruses between massive verses. Underneath the lyrical showcase is a post rock sound with a sprinkled in metalcore tuning and instrumental layer. Unsurprisingly, front-man Garret Rapp hooks listeners immediately with his smooth and crisp singing while expanding upon his range by delivering more pop-driven hooks as found in the songs “Broken Vessel” and “Fauxtographic Memory” which provide a refreshing and welcoming change.

The Color Morale – Lonesome Soul

ITUNES: http://smarturl.it/desolatedivine Taken from the new album ‘Desolate Divine’ available now.

A new approach was taken this time around with the harsh vocals as the screaming is now being handled solely by guitarist Aaron Saunders. His screams come across brutal as he hits mosh-pit inducing lows that bring back influences of The Color Morale’s older, heavier material. These lows are also complimented nicely by the crunchy, catchy riffs and fast paced drumming that has become a staple of the bands underlying instrumentation. Producer Dan Korneffs influence can be heard throughout the record as well as the production doesn’t have a muddied sound while the guitars are crisp, the bass has a bounce to it and the drums hit hard without being overpowering. Coupled with background strings and orchestral elements that blend beautifully into each song, the final products sound is extremely polished and retains the expected honesty and emotion, albeit in a different presentation.

Ultimately, the record lives up to the bands self-set and self-created high standards that were created with Know Hope, while straying away from becoming formulaic. New territory was explored by the band in multiple areas and it paid off in spades. With catchy riffs, soaring hooks and strongly composed string arrangements, there’s a much more memorable sound presented throughout the whole of Desolate Divine. This leads to the record coming across not only bigger, but better than their previous efforts as it blends their past style with their more recent efforts showing the world what The Color Morale is truly capable of.