Red - Until We Have Faces Review

Until We Have Faces is that album they, i.e. the industry, wanted Red to make, but we didn’t – more or less safe and marketable, lacking the ‘innocence’, the ‘instinct’, those qualities that made Red an interesting time-tested alternate hard rock band to begin with, being grouped with Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, yet not being of them and their shitty ilk. This year Red find their faces, essentially, and become like the herd on this new album and, well - oh sure, there’s some awesome tracks to be found along the way. But for the most part we have the makings of a band that’s just re-making itself here for another album, like the majority of radio rock bands out there. Yawn.

This is upsetting, because along with the likes of Chevelle, Red are one of the last hopes for mainstream rock. Tool won’t release another album for decades, for instance, but don’t quote me on that, and the very same could be said for A Perfect Circle, too, so, well, um, we rockin’ radio-heads are fucked. Thanks, Red.

All that to say Until We Have Faces actually isn’t a bad album, even though it may appear to fans as so, given the quality of Red’s first two releases. What you have here is a recycling of sorts – bits of this melody here sound like that melody there: first single “Faceless” is close-kin to Innocence and Instinct's “Shadows”, and “Let It Burn” has its own identity as a passionate emotional ballad but steps into End of Silence's “Let Go”-land with its surging yet plagiarized close. Though nothing on Until We Have Faces is a direct copy of 2009's Innocence and Instinct or 2006's End of Silence, per se, given that the band does not stray from the core ingredients of its sound that it’s been using sense its inception – crunchy guitars and strings, mid-tempo drums, etc. – you can’t escape this feeling of deja vu when listening to the album....full text Here we are, well on our way into 2011. 2010 is gone, and never will be again. It was an amazing year for me in some aspects, and in others it was the hardest I’ve ever faced. As the kind of person that tends to remember all the negative aspects of life, I often need reminders that I’m doubly as privileged. Red’s latest album Until We Have Faces has been one those reminders. Its heartfelt lyrics are filled with hope, if we choose to find it. It reminds me that I’m not alone. Despite life’s difficulties, the best is yet to come. Life really isn’t all that bad; it’s actually pretty awesome. And I’m privileged to have such incredible music as Until We Have Faces grace my ears with its audible beauty.

Red immediately gives their listeners an unforgettable track, just as they have in their previous releases. They began End of Silence with “Breathe into Me”, Innocence & Instinct with “Fight Inside”, and so Until We Have Faces begins with “Feed the Machine”. It sets the tone for the whole album, with intriguing guitar riffs and a background orchestra. Emotion and sincerity overflow from each and every track. Whether Michael Barnes is growling, or hitting impressive voice riffs with glorious tenor, it is undeniable that he believes what he is singing. It simply radiates from the track’s sound waves....full text Grammy nominated rock band RED has sold more than 600,000 records, delivered two Top Ten Active Rock and Three Top Ten Mainstream Rock singles and performed more than 1,300 shows with acts like Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Godsmack, Sevendust, Drowning Pool, Hinder and Nickelback since 2007. Working again with award winning producer Rob Graves, RED is putting the finishing touches on its next album, Until We Have Faces. RED s anticipated third studio project unleashes a torrential outpouring of in-your-face rock this troup has become known for....full text