Farewell To Freeway - Definitions

Band: Farewell To Freeway
Album: Definitions
Genre: Hardcore
Label: Victory

Tracks:
1. Sound Minds
2. Bat Wings
3. The Desperate Age
4. Lemmings
5. Speak Your Words
6. Definitions
7. The Glory Days
8. Convictions
9. Risk It All
10. The Awakening
11. What Happens In Viper City Stays In Viper city

Farewell to Freeway, the Canadian hardcore band who is the latest product of the Victory Records Machine has just released their new album, "Definitions." Did you not hear about it? Well you may have seen it pictured amongst the other recent Victory Releases [there were 6 of them on 2/19], or maybe you stumbled across their myspace page, but even if that were so, I think you may have forgotten. The reason I think you may have forgotten? Well, to put it simply, Farewell To Freeway is just like every other new-age hardcore band and the only difference between this by-the-book hardcore band and the next is production value. If you don't know what by-the-book hardcore is, please see below.

By-The-Book hardcore 101:
- Seemingly useless keyboard player? Check.
- 50% [or more] of your songs end with breakdowns? Check.
- Two guitar players, but both play the same open drop-d strumming? Check.
- Vocalist with tattoos and sleeveless shirt? Check
- Songs about blood/tears raining from somewhere? Check.
- Gang vocals that feel more forced than a recent Good Charlotte album? Check.
- 2nd vocalist with a "decent" singing voice that's used to make the song catchy? Super Check.

Okay, now that you know a little more about by-the-book hardcore and Farewell To Freeway, we can discuss the album. "Definitions," has the blueprints of a good hardcore album, but lacks the heart. Having sat through this album more than once now, I can honestly say the most evoked I ever felt was the feeling of boredom. The album rambles along for about 43min. and by the 20min. mark I was wondering what track I was on. The songs all seem to run together and none of the instrumentation really varies from the, "basic riff, chorus, riff some more, chorus, breakdown, bridge, chorus, breakdown," formula we've all come to know from bands like...well...any hardcore band. Nothing on this album speaks of originality or of hard work. I just felt like F2F was making the album they thought would sell and not an album they put themselves into.

The upside to all of this is the production value. The overall sound production reminded me of Atreyu's old albums and the drums thumped quite hard in my headphones. However, no amount of production can make a horribly bland album interesting. If I had to define my feelings toward, "Definitions," I would summarize by saying that I was left feeling both bored and uninspired.

GRADE: 1/10