As Blood Runs Black - 2011 Instinct

Band : As Blood Runs Black

Album : Instinct

Release Year : 2011

Genre : Deathcore / Metalcore / Progressive

Tracklist :

1.Triumph
2.Legacy
3.Resist
4.Angel City Gamble
5.Reborn
6.Tribulations
7.Divided
8.King of Thieves
9.In Honor
10.Echoes of an Era
11.Instinct

As Blood Runs Black have delivered their new album after a lengthy absence and a few line-up changes. Instinct is a through and through metalcore band, and while they work off the same blueprint as their debut Allegience, it does sound like a different band.

Machine gun riffs and thunderous drumming are offered in spades, and the guys do it well. Riffs are definitely the highlight here- bringing originality and melody and running it through a grinder. “King of Thieves” is easily the standout track, with “Divided” and “Triumph” sending up some scorching solos. “Tribulations” is an interesting, and melodic, string-focused instrumental interlude.

The album does well for what it is, but while the guitars are well done, this could easily be an album from the masses of metalcore bands on the scene. 

And while we love our breakdowns, there is truth to the “too much of a good thing” philosophy. And the key to breakdowns is for them to fit the song structure. They’re meant to further the music along, not screech things to a halt like a skidding arm on a turntable. Unfortunately, that’s the effect quite a few of the breakdowns have on Instinct: great riffs, heavy bass, vocals going strong and then suddenly the Kool Aid Man of mediocre breakdowns comes crashing through the wall. If you take them out, it’s still a solid metalcore album, along the lines of The Black Dahlia Murder. Guitar fans will dig it for some seriously aggressive riffs that stack up against Job For a Cowboy and Born of Osiris.

Available on CD. Album artwork is like some bad one night stand between Iron Maiden’s Powerslave and Tron: Legacy. And by that, I mean it’s awesome. 

GET IT!