Sam Rich
Staff Writer
Exceeding their previous releases’ success, “The Color Morale” drop its fourth and best studio album, “Hold On Pain Ends.”
“Hold On Pain Ends” is a fantastic album with powerful vocals and lyrics, smooth instruments, featured artists, and sound change. Although they are a heavy metal band, “Hold On Pain Ends” is its mellowest album yet with a new, lighter sound.
The band began in 2005 in Rockford, Illinois. It has previously released “We All Have Demons”, “My Devil In Your Eyes”, and “Know Hope.” The band members are Rapp with vocals, Steve Carey on drums, Aaron Saunders and Devin King on guitar, and Mike Honson on bass.
With the constant presence of the drums, the music is fun and upbeat. Carey demonstrates his talent by playing the drums with great consistency, contributing to the songs significantly. His flawless rhythm gives the songs a tough sound with a heavy beat.
“Damnaged” starts off the album strong with a heavy metal feel with heavy guitar and deep lyrics that depict the struggles of the band member’s lives, such as a bad childhood or suicidal thoughts. The most relevant lyric to the story of the song, due to the sincerity being shown in Rapp’s voice where he sings about his painful childhood is “I grew up in a house God built with the devils blueprints with no foundation found.”
Due to the band’s instrumental talents, the songs have a complex rhythm that shows how skilled the band members are. Throughout the album, the guitar is always powerful and intense with the loud bass. It shapes the album with the different beats and gives each song a different feel when the guitars speed up or slow down.
Also, “The Ones Forgotten by the One Forgetting,” the guitar is slowed down and every lyric is clearly heard. It’s the shortest song on the album, but also the most heartfelt because it shows Rapp’s pain and struggle through the tone of his voice and the guitar pace.
Craig Owens (Chiodos, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows) joins the band in “Developing Negative” and greatly contributes to the album with his passionate vocals and determined tone. Also, Dave Stephens (We Came As Romans) is greatly featured in “Suicide;stigma” which improves the album with his convincing force.
Although Rapp’s vocals are generally on point, his screaming makes it hard to hear the lyrics. Screaming being generally one of The Color Morale’s defining areas of expertise, it’s present in almost every song on the album to keep the band’s signature hardcore style.
Overall, “Hold On Pain Ends” exceeded expectations with to the instruments, guest vocalists, change in sound, vocals, and meaningful lyrics.
“Hold On Pain Ends” is available on iTunes for $9.99.
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