Track Listing:
- I.H.E.
- Trust My Heart (Never Hope To Die)
- Psychotic Romantic
- Deathless
- Arise
- Turn Back The Time
- Empty Promises
- The Artificial
- Born From Nothing
Being a fan of early 2000’s Metalcore, and some newer Deathcore, I was drawn to Miss May I’s early sound because it was aggressive while also drawing you in with heartfelt and meaningful lyrics. I’ll be the first to admit that the second I played Rise of the Lion I skipped through every track, it was missing just about everything that made this band stand out and I feared that they were losing their identity (dare I say, too big too fast?) Luckily when they released the single for I.H.E. I instantly knew we we were getting the Miss May I we were accustom to hearing and boy am I glad!
As we usually expect from them, after I.H.E. we are sprinkled with a few more ballad’y songs like Trust My Heart (Never Hope To Die), which are entertaining and still remain heavy, while offering up something groovy for the ladies just before breaking into Psychotic Romantic, a fast, aggressive, heavy, brutal old school Metalcore track that even Unearth would be proud of. Other tracks such as Arise and Turn Back The Time show us again that vocalist Levi Benton is giving us his tormented side that is able to connect with crowds on a visceral level, anyone that has seen them live fully understands that they bring with them that early 2000’s metalcore aggression on album and on stage. I for one can’t wait to see these guys bring it live again.
All in all, an impressive “comeback” album only one year after the release of Rise of the Lion, and I look forward to seeing what’s next in the path of Miss May I.
Rating: 9 / 10
Miss May I is:
Levi Benton: Vocals
Justin Aufdemkampe: Guitar
BJ Snead: Guitar
Ryan Neff: Bass / Vocals
Jerod Boyd: Drums
