Shattered Realm, From the Dead End Blocks...

Violent pits, riotous shows, monster mosh and brutal vocals have been a part of Shattered Realm for as long as the band has been around. Their sound often came across as one dimensional — super heavy breakdowns followed by more breakdowns. But for all it lacked in diversity, the band’s sound has a pretty rabid following. I know that Broken Ties…Spoken Lie… is almost always in my current rotation.

It’s been a few years in the making, but their latest release shows some real maturation in their song writing and playing. The departures of a couple of band members and the injection of Punishment‘s Joe Hardcore on lead vocals undoubtedly helped mold the current sound. This album shows a more layered and diverse sound as opposed to their past material. It certainly hasn’t lost any of its intensity, but it is definitely much more polished.

Track 1: Our Time. The change in the bands sound is right away apparent on the first track. It’s quicker, more upbeat in tempo. While I personally loved the sludgy, doom filled breakdowns of the last album, this new injection of a more pure hardcore sound is refreshing. The anger is still there. The mosh is still there. This opening track is a great one to introduce the band’s matured sound. And, well, Joe sounds great as usual on lead vocals.

Track 2: Devil in Disguise. The band revisits a bit of its older sound with this slower paced track. Devil in Disguise has a great head pounding beat to it.

Track 3: Endless. There are some great gang shouts in this one.

Track 4: Final Day. Here’s another quick paced one, the Joe belting out some vicious lyrics. You’ll find some of the heaviest breakdowns on the album toward the end of this track.

Track 5: New Disgrace. Man, I’m going to sprain my neck if they keep this pace up. I love the bass in this one as they slow it down a bit and then build back up to a quick tempo. Lyrically, this is one of the angrier and more in your face songs.

Track 6: Fallen. There is a nice trade off between Joe’s lead delivery and the group backing vocals.

Track 7: Eat Shit. It’s a pretty simple concept with this one. Lasting only 55 seconds, it’s a call to all those that the band doesn’t like to, well, eat shit. This one could have been awesome with a darker overall sound.

Track 8: No One Else. This is probably one of the faster tracks on the album. Excellent gang vocals on this one.

Track 9: All That Matters. You’ll find a great old school hardcore sound to this one. Quick paced and gritty.

Track 10: GBNF. The band brings back some of their older sound with this one. Great mosh and bass in this one.

Track 11: Her Justice. The closing track on this CD has an immense sound, including guest vocals from their last lead singer, Chris (now of Suffer the Living). After hearing him in this song, you can’t help but wonder what the band would sound like if he had stuck around.

Shattered Realm now has a solid line-up and a new matured sound that any self respecting fan of hardcore will eat up in an instant. While this new material is not nearly as breakdown heavy or as dark as Broken Ties…Spoken Lie…, it has a good chance to replace it in my regular rotation.

Favorite Tracks:
Devil in Disguise
Final Day
New Disgrace
Her Justice

Additional Notes:
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