ALBUM REVIEW: Within Each Lies The Other – As Everything Unfolds

The UK metal scene is thriving right now and with the potential return of live shows by the end of the year, we will hopefully see those bands showcase what they’re capable of on the big stage. While ARCHITECTS and BRING ME THE HORIZON are no doubt leading the charge, a great deal of up and comers on the horizon are raising the excitement levels of music lovers, not just in the UK. AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS are one such band and their follow up release to their 2018 EP Closure cements their rightful place as prospective headliners. They use the blueprints that were laid down on that EP and expand and mature on their debut full length Within Each Lies The Other. 

They hit the ground running with On The Inside, which hits us with a chunky riff that is joined by lead vocalist Charlie Rolfe’s signature shriek in the verse. It opens into an arena-sized melodic chorus that will no doubt be dancing around in your brain for weeks to come. It’s a metalcore banger that kicks off the album in spectacular fashion.

The tempo takes a dip with the intro to Take Me There but picks up again halfway through. It could have been placed slighter later in the album to allow the continuation of the rapid opening but it’s a powerhouse of a track nonetheless. Charlie’s vocals are without a doubt a focal point of the album with her voice ranging from high pitched squeals to an angelic soar. There is an essence of Maria Brink from IN THIS MOMENT in her style but she manages to control it with so much confidence and switch between the styles with ease.

Wallow is home to one of the best choruses on the album with the grandiose guitars and down-tuned rumble filling the track while the vocals float over the top. It’s a mighty, slow headbang moment that will have been reciting “you’ve turned everyone against me” with Charlie, while Stranger In The Mirror is a perfect example of the band working as a tight-knit unit as all of their best elements come together on a fantastic single. The guitar layers and subtle synths add great texture to an otherwise straightforward song. John Cassidy does a superb job throughout the album adding extra sparks to certain tracks.

It’s easy and completely incorrect to label bands such as AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS as a heavier PARAMORE, but the album is home to many pop elements in the sing-a-long chorus and you could imagine Hayley Williams belting out the chorus to epic Grayscale or bopping along to the effortlessly bouncy Stay. They should take any comparisons as a good thing though as not only can they fill the album with driving metal riffs and harsh vocals but they also have the accessibility and catchiness of poppier acts that could potentially help them fill arenas. They walk a fine line between genres but balance along it perfectly.

They save one of the best till the end of the album with the gut-wrenching One Last Time. Guitarists Adam Kerr and Owen Hill work perfectly in tandem to create a beautiful atmosphere for Charlie Rolfe to lay down some of her best vocal work to date. The bass and drum work from George Hunt and Jamie Gowers is not to be underappreciated. They aren’t flashy but their musicianship is constantly on show throughout the record. Closer Wither is another slower tempo number with the same feel as One Last Time. It could have been a better idea to split these two tracks up rather than have two similar tracks to end the album but it’s a solid end to what is a tour de force through and through.

Within Each Lies The Other is an important debut full-length album from a band that is hotly tipped to be the next big thing in UK metal music. AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS have poured their emotions into each track and have created a record full of anger, frustration, love and happiness that showcases their immense song-writing talents. It’s metal with pop sensibilities which could see them headlining across the world if they continue this going forward.

Rating: 8/10 

Within Each Lies The Other is set for release on March 26th via Long Branch Records. 

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