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“Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, it’s a pirates life for me.” From the moment a that a creepy sounding kid, ala those pale and pasty little shits from movies like the Ring, starts singing this little ditty two things about In Fear and Faith’s debut full length begin to come into focus. Number one, like oh so man bands, they have a serious pirate fetish. Seriously, to all the bands out there, we get it, you travel from place to place, get drunk, rape (not literally, but who doesn’t enjoy some good role playing from time to time), pillage and plunder, and leave a trail of beer stained groupies in your wake. And, number two, these aren’t cuddly pirates like Bob Hoskins rolly polly little scamp, Smee. The pirates that IFAF are seemingly singing and screaming about are more likely to paint their boat with the blood of the lost boys, than they are to put up with any Rufioesque shenanigans.

The opening track, of Your World on Fire, takes on the pirate theme, but does it with solid screaming, winding guitars, deep, rich vocals and fierce drumming, with, thankfully only a smattering of, synth/keyboards finding their way into the mix around the middle point of the track.

Vocalists Cody Anderson and Scott Barnes, who is making his IFAF debut on this the bands first full length, blend Andersons growling screams, and guttural singing with the smooth tones of Barnes post hardcore croon. The vocals layer each other and sit perfectly next to the shredding guitars of Ramin Niroomand and Noah Slifka which manage to rip your face off, and then sit back and allow the bands other elements to step into the spot light, before once again, charging out front and claiming the stage. Drummer Mehdi Niroomand puts on a clinic of time changes and often reaches such pounding speed that it’s not hard to imagine that he’s actually got four arms, three for drumming and one for the squeezing of a comely wench (it’s not sexist cause it’s a pirate reference). The bass, manned by Tyler McElhaney, spends a lot of time riding shot gun, but still does it’s bit driving the songs.

On stand out The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions, IFAF welcome guest vocals from the busiest man in music, Craig Owens, who does his usual job of putting most vocalists to utter shame, but Barnes stacks up well, which speaks volumes. The drums that open the track are played at light speed and the riffs are of the melt your face variety, and manage to still stand out in this clinic of vocal blending that could have easily ended up as clusterfuck, but instead came out as an opus of post hardcore/metalcore brilliance.

By the time IFAF have shredded and slammed their way to the closing track, Relapse Collapse, it’s obvious that these buccaneers know what their doing, and are perfectly at home strapped to their instruments and hurdling down the side of a mountain at breakneck speeds, which is why it’s even more impressive that they manage to slow down and relish the scenery for at least the opening moments of Relapse Collapse. The vocals continue to work together, layering each other like a delicious burrito. While the piano, guitars and bass add a different sort of element that drives the song without falling back into the familiar territory that they’d claimed ownership over earlier in the albums progression.

In Fear and Faith’s debut LP, Your World On Fire, manages to blend together post hardcore and metalcore elements into a sound that, while not overtly original or trail blazing, displays an insane level of technical musicianship at every turn. The layered vocals alone are worth the price of admission. IFAF have crafted an awesome album that is completely accessible to new fans to the genre but still sport the chops that it takes to impress scene veterans, and woo them out of their, “Everything new is shit”, stance. In the end, Your World on Fire is worth checking out, and if you’re not on board with that, we’ll forgo the plank and take you straight to the Boo Box.

In Fear and Faith – Pirates…The Sequel
In Fear and Faith – The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions feat. Craig Owens
In Fear and Faith – Relapse Collapse

Tags: Aaron Long, album, Boo Box, In Fear And Faith, Pirates, Rise Records, Smee, Your World On Fire