Whitechapel - The Valley
Key Facts:
Country: 🇺🇸
Genre: Deathcore
Release Date: 29th March 2019
Record Label(s): Metal Blade
UK Album Chart Position: Unavailable
Band Members:
Phil Bozeman – vocals
Ben Savage – lead guitar
Alex Wade – rhythm guitar
Gabe Crisp – bass
Zach Householder – third guitar
Production Personel:
Unavailable
Review:
Rating (out of 5🤘): 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Favourite Track(s): Hickory Creek, When A Demon Defiles A Witch, Doom Woods
It's been a while since I was so emotionally moved by an album. I'll never found myself in the same situations Phil was in drowning up, but the lyrics in this album (especially Hickory Creek) have had a real effect on me. In short this album cuts you and cuts you deep. It really is an emotional journey through some tough subjects. Overall the album as a whole is a breath of fresh air that sees Whitechapel with a few things but still remaining true to who they are. They're doing musical progression right in my mind, Hickory Creek is a prime example of that.
With every Whitechapel album there is always something different hidden in there that takes listening to a few times to find. While on the surface it is a savage and uncompromising deathhore record musically and lyrically, the more deeply you submerge yourself in this album you hear all the subtleties and nuances in the background that I feel really give this album it's impact. We got a taste of how good Phil's clean vocals were on Mark Of The Blade's Bring Me Home, and I loved it, it was different and refreshing, it shows how talented Phil really is along side the harsh vocals. Having heard Bring Me Home live I'm more determined to see them on this album run, the clean sections in the songs (vocally and on the guitar) has such a great contrasting dynamic in-between the chaotic classic deathhore sections. I feel there is definitely more of an approach to melody on this album.
As usual for Whitechapel albums, production is spotless. Everything sounds huge, the guitar and bass tones just blow my mind. I think the songwriting may have had something to do with tone selection so I would live to see how it transpires live.
The band stated that lyrically this was Phil opening up and dealing with his past face to face, I think that very heavy emotional charge comes through so strong, there is a new aggressiveness unlike any Whitechapel album I've heard previously. Having read up on a few lyrics as well, I think this is why The Valley has had such an impact on me. Like I've said before I'll never know what Phil went through, but there is something about the lyrics that just clicked in my head, it took me back to a place that I'd locked away for a while and if anything this album has encouraged me to deal with the remnants of that time. I honestly have such high praise and respect for Phil for opening up like this.
This is definitely one of my top albums of 2019, so if you get the chance go and listen to it, you will not be disappointed!
With every Whitechapel album there is always something different hidden in there that takes listening to a few times to find. While on the surface it is a savage and uncompromising deathhore record musically and lyrically, the more deeply you submerge yourself in this album you hear all the subtleties and nuances in the background that I feel really give this album it's impact. We got a taste of how good Phil's clean vocals were on Mark Of The Blade's Bring Me Home, and I loved it, it was different and refreshing, it shows how talented Phil really is along side the harsh vocals. Having heard Bring Me Home live I'm more determined to see them on this album run, the clean sections in the songs (vocally and on the guitar) has such a great contrasting dynamic in-between the chaotic classic deathhore sections. I feel there is definitely more of an approach to melody on this album.
As usual for Whitechapel albums, production is spotless. Everything sounds huge, the guitar and bass tones just blow my mind. I think the songwriting may have had something to do with tone selection so I would live to see how it transpires live.
The band stated that lyrically this was Phil opening up and dealing with his past face to face, I think that very heavy emotional charge comes through so strong, there is a new aggressiveness unlike any Whitechapel album I've heard previously. Having read up on a few lyrics as well, I think this is why The Valley has had such an impact on me. Like I've said before I'll never know what Phil went through, but there is something about the lyrics that just clicked in my head, it took me back to a place that I'd locked away for a while and if anything this album has encouraged me to deal with the remnants of that time. I honestly have such high praise and respect for Phil for opening up like this.
This is definitely one of my top albums of 2019, so if you get the chance go and listen to it, you will not be disappointed!
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