While She Sleeps
You Are We
(SharpTone Records)
While She Sleeps are the most underrated UK metalcore band out there. Unlike Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, and Bury Tomorrow, the band have yet to fully get their due. I called their sophomore record, 2015’s Brainwashed, one of the best metalcore releases of the year, in large part because their no-frills, riff-based sound emphasized substance over style, eschewing pop hooks and uber-br00tal breakdowns in favor of Comeback Kid-style energy and Architects-style aggression. I still stand by that notion. With their third self-funded release, the band have improved on all fronts (and experimented a bit) and have delivered a record that should usher in their status as one of the world’s premier metalcore groups.
The most noticeable change on You Are We is how damn catchy While She Sleeps have become. This isn’t quite the drastic shift that fellow Sheffield lot Bring Me The Horizon underwent, but While She Sleeps’ penchant for gang vocals has been ratcheted up greatly here, and Mat Welsh has taken a greater role with his gruff singing voice. Main man Loz Taylor sounds as vicious as ever, and the two form an impressive duo, playing off each other masterfully. The songs on here are more anthemic, and it’s clear the band’s political stances informed their frustrations in the post-Brexit UK. You Are We is the perfect record for the malcontents, full of catharsis and insightful lyrics meant to be screamed back by a motivated and angry fanbase.
Some may complain that the increased emphasis on melody means the guitar work has diminished, and while I would agree that the sheer number of riffs and licks has ever so slightly decreased on You Are We, their quality and sheer impact is more noticeable. While She Sleeps have still created a delightfully heavy record, but they have reigned in some musical weight to make room for a greater melodic and thematic force.
While She Sleeps’ latest record showcases how a great group got even greater. You Are We is easily their best and most consistent work to date, and if this doesn’t signal their status as one of the top metalcore bands in the world, I don’t know what more they could do.
