The Red Chord - Clients (2005)
Until recently I'd only ever heard The Red Chord's awesome debut, so this is a bit surprising. I'd expected a similar sound, perhaps with some sort of progression, since that's usually the way with good bands playing extreme metal. This album, however, is quite the departure. Much of the death metal influence has been dropped, and almost all the grindcore, to say nothing of the lack of tech death complexity and tempo changes.
Clients is actually a regression to the mid-paced, beatdown metalcore of the late 90s. It's a bit updated, but if you told me this came out in 1998 I wouldn't bat an eye. I imagine this album would have been polarizing when it came out, with some embracing the more streamlined, accessible sound, while those expecting The Red Chord to continue as they had before would have balked. I myself am torn. I love this kind of metalcore, but I've also heard it a million times already, and while this is some kickass ****, I was one of those hoping that this would be the next step in the band smashing the boundaries of hardcore and death metal.
So I like this, but I don't love it yet, though with time I imagine it'll continue to grow on me. It's relatively clean production will likely keep it from being able to compete with Arkangel or Disembodied, but this sound is already too ingrained in my bones for me to dismiss this album.