Miss May I – At Heart

Looking to scare your parents? A spot of metalcore is what you need. Look no further than Miss May I’s third album At Heart. 

It’s a pretty abrasive experience and there’s no denying that the players are among the finest of their genre. The guitar work in particular is technically superb, and the precision at which the band executes their most brutal and high-velocity tracks is nothing short of staggering. The vocals too are solid, and the two singers play their parts well; the screamed vocals are delivered with ear-bursting malevolence and the clean vocals are suitably anthemic. The album features less breaks than might be expected, but the album feels as though it would translate into a volatile and incendiary live set. Angry, catchy and powerful, it’s no surprise this band has won a legion of fans.

However, although all the required elements are in place there’s something about it that causes it to pass by without making a whole lot of impact. Despite the zeal with which Miss May I deliver their music, they don’t seem to be doing a whole lot that the melodic metalcore bands of ten years ago didn’t do. There’s not really anything here that Lamb of God or Killswitch Engage haven’t already thrashed out. Day By Day features guitar parts heavily reminiscent of The Ghost Inside and lead single Hey Mister, a song about growing up without a father figure, sounds a lot like As I Lay Dying. 

A band with all the right ingredients including players with extremely high technical precision, they’re obviously metalcore fans just making the music they love, but musically speaking, it doesn’t seem like they have much of a point to make yet. Operating pretty firmly within well-established boundaries, it’s hard to view At Heart as much more than homage. Still, it’s a polished, powerful and excellently produced album worthy of the attention of metalcore fans.

Craig Elliott

At Heart is released on 12^th June 2012.

Watch the video for Hey Mister here: