Labels: Revelation
Review by: Ian Cavell
The Monroe Doctrine sees Farside shuttle from riff-heavy melodic hardcore to delicate acoustic songs across a space of 17 tracks and 50 odd minutes. Not totally unlike Samiam in their execution on the more rock orientated efforts but its the semi-acoustic songs which really make this a great album. Songs such as ‘I Hope You’re Unhappy’ are ‘The Slowdance’ are just incredibly emotional and totally awesome. But then that would be suggesting tracks such as ‘Moral Straightjacket’ and ‘Statues of Snow’ don’t measure up which they quite blatantly do… and in fine melodic hardcore fashion.
I can find just one fault : the truly cringeworthy “joke” songs that do absolutely fuck all to increase the listening pleasure of this album. I’m hoping that there must have been some kind of horrible mistake when making it and right now the guys from Farside are sitting around drinking coffee and wondering how a handful of joke around songs (no doubt recorded after a hard day in the studio when everyone was feeling a little bit odd) somehow made the way onto the finished product. Or maybe not.
That aside the Monroe Doctrine is one very impressive album and another quality release from the people at Revelation.