Every record that Buried In Verona release starts a conversation, and it seems the Sydneysiders’ most recent LP Faceless is no different.
This record is better – in almost every way – compared to anything Buried In Verona have put out before it, but with a metalcore scene as strong as the one we’ve got in Australia, it’s evident that they struggle to challenge the best artists in the genre.
‘Eclipse’ passes as a standard heavy affair, necessary for any metal album, and lays the foundations for what you should expect from the rest of the record. ‘Splintered’ is much of the same chugging guitars and breakdowns along with a catchy, clean chorus. It isn’t until ‘Illuminate’ that the elements start working together; the singalong is huge, the clean/scream play-off complement each other better, and the band work well to keep the track’s dynamic progression moving smoothly enough.
While a lot of the record features songs that work quite similarly to this, Buried In Verona have experimented with a variety of directions. From the rapid, punk-infused ‘Graves’, to the metal-rap ‘Blind Eyes’, some work better (the former) than others (the latter). The most curious addition to the album is ‘Set Me On Fire’, a slow rock ballad that could fit well on the radio and shows off the band’s knack for writing softer tracks.
While a lot of the album is passable, listenable, and most of the time enjoyable, it is still just run of the mill metalcore. When the band step out of their comfort zone they show sparks of originality, but it is evident that their sound is still battling between the guttural heavy side and the clean, pop-rock sound without finding the middle ground.
