When little ol’ me gets scores of reviews, it makes me really thankful that people entrust me and my opinion from my little corner of the web on their thoughts on their bands. With mouth agape last night while in the photo pit for While She Sleeps’ set, I had to pick up “You Are We” immediately after their set. Plus, I loved interviewing the Sheffield, England metalcore giants. Be on the lookout for an interview with Lawrence Taylor of While She Sleeps this week! This past April, While She Sleeps released “You Are We”.
“You Are We” is such a unifying phrase. To me, it signifies that we are all the same, that we bleed the same blood, and that we shed the same skin. While She Sleeps does a tremendous job of portraying that message in the opening title track about how it is the powers that be that want the countless wars, while the people want to count less wars. The harmonics in the guitar work is simply astounding and Lawrence Taylor sings and screams with so much passion that it causes one’s hair on the back of their neck to stand up and for one to get goosebumps as they get lost in the music. The breakdown in the bridge of the song is sick, but the outro makes you wish that the song never ended. Quite honestly, the title track is one of the best songs that I have heard in years! The album transitions into “Steal The Sun”. Check out “You Are We” below!
Despite its independent release, “Steal The Sun” has amassed over a million hits on YouTube in two months. The song really showcases the diverse edge in the guitar playing and the vocals that guitarists Mat Welsh and Sean Long portray. The vocals that Lawrence demonstrates that he belongs in that conversation as one of the best frontmen in the metalcore genre. The rhythm section that bassist Aaron McKenzie and Adam Savage possesses on the drums continue to drive that urgent message that While She Sleeps is about! There is a certain type of energy that is unleashed in that track, that urgent message that calls for unity among all people. Check it out!
The album transitions into “Feel”. “Feel” has such a pulsating, energetic rhythm section coupled with those riffs, making it to where the listener can only imagine the liberation that one feels from this track. It really showcases another layer of While She Sleeps, of incorporating punk elements and melodies into the metalcore genre, which in my view, sets them apart in the metalcore genre. The song “Silence Speaks” includes a masterful collaboration with Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon, and it also showcases a melodic more punk edge of While She Sleeps with those metalcore elements. I absolutely love the vocals in this track as it makes for a great singalong! Check it out below!
While She Sleeps showcases why they should in the conversation on creating one of the best metalcore albums this decade! The breakdowns are disgusting, the harmonies in the vocals are uncanny, the lyrical content tugs at the heartstrings, and the rhythm forcefully gets the listener to move! “You Are We” gets a 10 out of 10 star rating! Check out the track listing below!
“You Are We” by While She Sleeps
- You Are We
- Steal The Sun
- Feel
- Empire Of Silence
- Wide Awake
- Silence Speaks ft. Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon
- Settle Down Society
- Hurricane
- Revolt
- Civil Isolation
- In Another Now
Check out the music video to “Hurricane”
While She Sleeps is currently providing support for Trivium and Arch Enemy on their tour! Check out tour dates below! Fit For An Autopsy is also serving as the opening act!
Sunday, November 12th- Concord Music Hall in Chicago, Illinois
Tuesday, November 14th- Skyway Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wednesday, November 15th- The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Friday, November 17th- Summit Music Hall in Denver, Colorado
Saturday, November 18th- The Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah
Monday, November 20th- The Palace Theatre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Tuesday, November 21st- Union Hall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Thursday, November 23rd- Vogue Theater in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Friday, November 24th- Showbox SoDo in Seattle, Washington
Saturday, November 25th- Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon
Monday, November 27th- Ace of Spades in Sacramento, California
Tuesday, November 28th- The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California
Wednesday, November 29th- The Wiltern in Los Angeles, California
Friday, December 1st- Marquee Theater in Tempe, Arizona
Saturday, December 2nd- Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Monday, December 4th- Gas Monkey Live! in Dallas, Texas
Tuesday, December 5th- Alamo City Music Hall in San Antonio, Texas
Wednesday, December 6th- Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas
Thursday, December 7th- Soul Kitchen in Mobile, Alabama
For tickets and further information, click here!
On Friday, December 8th, While She Sleeps has a one-off date at the O2 Academy in Sheffield, England. Tickets and further information, click here!
Beginning January 2018, While She Sleeps will be touring Europe. Check out tour dates below!
Thursday, January 11th- La Maroquinerie in Paris, France
Friday, January 12th- Bt59 in Begles, France
Saturday, January 13th- Santana 27 in Bilbao, Spain
Sunday, January 14th- Hard Club in Porto, Portugal
Monday, January 15th- RCA Club in Lisbon, Portugal
Tuesday, January 16th- Bafo De Baco Rua Afonso de Albuquerque in Loule, Portugal
Wednesday, January 17th- Teatro Barcelo in Madrid, Spain
Thursday, January 18th- Razzmatazz 2 in Barcelona, Spain
Friday, January 19th- Le Moulin in Marseille, France
Saturday, January 20th- Traffic Live Club in Roma, Italy
Sunday, January 21st- Legend Club in Milan, Italy
Wednesday, January 24th- X-Tra in Zurich, Switzerland
Thursday, January 25th- Forum Karlin c in Prague, Czech Republic
Friday, January 26th- Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany
Sunday, January 28th- Gasometer in Vienna, Austria
Monday, January 29th- TonHalle in Munich, Germany
Tuesday, January 30th- Palladium in Cologne, Germany
Wednesday, January 31st- Poppodium in Tilberg, Netherlands
Thursday, February 1st- Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium
Saturday, February 3rd- Alexandra Palace in London, England
Monday, February 5th- O2 Academy in Bristol, England
Tuesday, February 6th- O2 Institute in Birmingham, England
Thursday, February 8th- O2 ABC in Glasgow, Scotland
Saturday, February 10th- O2 Ritz in Manchester, England
Thursday, March 15th- Glavclub in Moscow, Russia
Friday, March 16th- Clubzal in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Saturday, March 17th- Sentrum Shota Rustaveli in Kyiv, Ukraine
Friday, March 23rd- Principal Club Theater in Thessaloniki, Greece
Saturday, March 24th- Gagarin 205 in Athens, Greece
Wednesday, June 20th- Tons of Rock in Halden, Norway
For tickets and further information in regards to any of the European dates, click here!
Find While She Sleeps at the following locations:
www.twitter.com/whileshesleeps
www.facebook.com/whileshesleeps
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