A Static Lullaby – A Static Lullaby / 2006 Fearless Records/ 11 Tracks / http://www.astaticlullaby.com / http://www.fearlessrecords.com / Reviewed 27 May 2007

A Static Lullaby's self-entitled album is one of the more mainstream works I have reviewed. The screaming is well done; I don't lose any lyrical value and don't feel overpowered by it. The singer shows some serious range, control, and skill. The drums are powerful, with impressive fills and a decent amount of presence. The vocalist and screamer paired together make any song a thousand times better. I love the combination; it is a little bit different and makes them both sound much stronger. The guitars sometimes impress me, playing close in notes but yet holding their own. The times are unique on quite a bit of the openings, and the guitars are strongest when playing a few steps above the vocalists, the accent is appreciated.

"Contagious" has a pretty strong build up to what you would expect to be a scream but instead a really nice display of vocal talent. This song is giving me a really good impression, nice tiny excerpt of harmony. The openings across the whole album are all very consistent and solid, the guitars and drums enter right into rocking, and the tracks only calm for the occasional bridge and chorus. My favorite song by a long shot is "Art of Sharing Lovers." The screams are paired by vocals, which is a style I love always. The control vocally is once again present.

"The Collision" opens a little calmer, but starts right into screaming. I find that this album never really heads just where you are expecting it, which is a very good element. I can't really draw any comparisons except that the screamer sometimes sounds like Four Letter Lie or even Alexisonfire when he is more speaking than singing. "Eager Cannibals" has my ideal combination of the singing and screaming. The singing is dominant, the screams used to add emotion. The lyrics on "Life in a Museum" struck me most on the album. The use of 2 vocalists paired with screaming was impressive. The song texture was thick and complex. I also enjoyed the vocal bursting opening of "Stare at the Air." Speaking generally of the album, I was most impressed by the vocals and some of the guitar slides. My only criticism is that the amount of screaming just doesn't seem to fit with the music or lyrics. Play up the amazing vocalist, his range and control is rare in the scene. Then I think you have got a winner.

Top Tracks: Art of Sharing Lovers, Life in a Museum

Rating: 8.3/10

[Charlie]