There’s nothing wrong with the fourth release from Michigan’s relatively veteran hardcore act Today I Wait, but there’s nothing that completely enamors me either.

Basically culling from every big name in hardcore and metalcore, TID’s mix of intense, burly metallic hardcore and a few melodic metalcore elements and even a hint of more death metal inspired heft (early Dead To Fall comes to mind), TID are distinctly German (Heaven Shall Burn, etc) in their stern delivery of 10 no nonsense heavier than average metallic hardcore, and everything on the album, is well done, with crisp production, scores of breakdowns, but the whole effort just feels a bit ‘empty’.

That’s not to say Already Dead In Their Eyes is a bad album, it really isn’t; it’s gruff, it’s intense, it’s heavy, it’s free from trendy clichés (though “Vanishing Forever” tries) and it delivers the beatdown with gusto, especially tracks like “Lovely Victim”, the chunky “Dressed For the Kill” and “Tune Them Out”, but there’s a reason the band doesn’t seem to be mentioned with reverence in the hardcore underground (outside of Michigan), even after three releases. They just seem to lack the ‘it’ factor to make songs really jump put at you and want to listen to the album again. The thing is, I get the distinct impression this 5 piece just kills in a live setting as the intensity, especially of vocalist Jason who has an impressive feral roar (even though his thankfully rare singing is slightly less impressive).

For sheer, oppressive hardcore heaviness, Today I Wait fits the bill, but those looking for something with a little more depth and staying power, might want to look elsewhere.

[Visit the band's website]

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