Nodes of Ranvier – The Years to Come
Facedown Records – FR047 – September 13th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Anymore, it’s practically impossible for a band to reside under just one subgenre without getting extra, descriptive appendages tacked on at some point. Thus, not to forget my prior statement,
Nodes of Ranvier could be characterized as hardcore at times, and as metalcore at others. At any rate, and in spite of the fog that rests on the boundary between hardcore and metalcore,
The Years to Come does indeed bear the markings of a band that have experience under their belts.
Now, the third observation by
Nodes of Ranvier is good, but it’s going to clash with an unfathomable amount of contenders for this year’s best of show. Musically speaking, though, the record has its shit together in most places. The production suffices, the instrumentation speaks highly of its originators, and el grooves are forces to be reckoned with. Almost
Pantera-like in their confidence, some of the grooves on this disc are gonna jar ya. Listening to the opening number, namely “The Renewal,” will give you a glimpse of what I’m talking about, but it’s not quite optimal in the sense that it’s an instrumental piece. So, if I may direct your attention to “Relentless,” coolness reigns when the quartet sucker-punch the audience by toning the aggression down a mere fifty seconds into the song, in order to dwell upon tambourine-infused mellowness. For boisterous riffage, consult “The Dawning Age” at multiple points, “Predisposed,” and “What Goes Around…” Conversely, the worst attribute of
The Years to Come is the clean vocals, which summon thoughts of
Nodes of Ranvier’s crappier contemporaries. Thankfully, Nick’s distorted vox are easy on the ears, and suited to the style in which the band plays.
Those fond of the group’s labelmates – or even uber-popular
Shadows Fall and such – will be able to find a spot for
Nodes of Ranvier in their burgeoning collections.
The Years to Come isn’t so much a masterpiece as it is a solid effort by a solid crowd of musicians, though the word “masterpiece” may yet find usage in reference to the aforesaid…in their years to come.
8/10
UltimateMetal’s Interview with Nodes of Ranvier
Official Nodes of Ranvier Website
Official Facedown Records Website
