The Trades - Music Review: The Bled, "Found in the Flood"

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ARTICLE

Music Review: The Bled, "Found in the Flood"
by Morgan Parsons
Published: August 21, 2005

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Release Date: August 23, 2005
Label: Vagrant
Grade: B+

“BRACE YOURSELF!” When a band screams a lyric such as that, there is really only one thing you can do as a listener: sit up and take notice. It takes guts to warn your audience about the music you are about to give them, but Arizona rockers The Bled play by their own rules and find no problem in pouring themselves into their music almost unapologetically. Rather than falling into the mix of new hardcore bands, this band rises above the clichés to make the type of honest music we don’t hear that often.

The Bled is:
James Munoz (Vocals)
Jeremy Talley (Guitar)
Ross Ott (Guitar)
Darren Simoes (Bass)
Mike Pedicone (Drums)

The Bled started off in Tucson, Arizona by working hard to break out of their hometown city. The members of the band all grew up knowing each other and playing in different bands, but came together with the common drive of wanting more. After a lot of hard work, numerous shows, and an EP, Fiddler Records took interest. Pass the Flask not only marked the band’s first full-length, but also the first time recording with newcomer James Munoz who had taken over the previous vocalist’s spot. Their intense debut on Fiddler sparked the realization that their dream of becoming more than just local hardcore heroes would definitely come true. So how does a band make a follow up to such a great record?

The first step in the process was parting with their label. With offers from record labels big and small, The Bled then signed with Vagrant and started work on Found in the Flood. Wanting to take their music in a different direction James and the guys entered the studio with legendary producer Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182). When looking at his growth as a singer on their second record, James Munoz said that, “Vocally I tried to challenge myself to be a better singer, a better screamer.” The rest of the band also felt that Found in the Flood would be a record where they could let more of themselves show in the music rather than quickly throwing out the first ideas that came to mind.

Found in the Flood certainly displays the band’s desire for change, but in an eye-opening and very noticeable way. Granted, the old fury and intensity we have grown to love in these guys is still there, but the new record also exhibits a mellower side to their music. “Hotel Coral Essex,” starts the CD off and begins with a slow build up of an ambient-sounding guitar, but then quickly turns into one of the hardest songs on the album. Just as you are becoming comfortable with the start and wondering what you had for lunch that afternoon, James lets loose with a barrage of screams that immediately bring your focus back. Heavy stop-and-go guitars join his screams on “Guttershark,” which is arguably one of the best songs on Found in the Flood. The spastic mix of these aspects could possibly worry some listeners, but there is definitely beauty to be found in the chaos. Near the end of the song, we lose the thrashing and leave Munoz melodically singing with a calming drumbeat that leads seamlessly into the following song: “My Assassin.” Even though this song sounds like what could be a My Chemical Romance b-side, it does not jeopardize the band’s sound in the slightest. Instead, it helps Found in the Flood. Yes, the weakest track on the record actually helps strengthen the whole. The catchy riff and accessibility of this song could help draw new fans to The Bled.

Reaching the near halfway-point, we meet “Antarctica,” which reveals the softer side of the band (if you could call it that). Instead of allowing the rest of the CD to fall into mellow nothingness, we are pulled back into the fray a couple songs later with “The Last American Cowboy.” This is one of my personal favorites because it is a perfect example of where The Bled wants to be with their music. It has the metal head-banging moments with back-and-forth riffs that remind us of Pass the Flask, but also the catchy new vocals that Munoz strived to achieve. Closing things up with the epic “I Don’t Sleep With Liars Anymore,” we reach the result of what happens when a small group of guys share the drive of wanting to make a name for them.

What Found in the Flood does best is flow smoothly. The transitions are flawless and help the record stay on track without losing a beat. With so many ups and downs in terms of the sound, it is quite a task to make it all blend together. Showing a wider range in their music, The Bled has matured with their second full-length, but there still is something missing. It’s tough for me to put my finger on the exact problem with this album, but there certainly is one. On the whole, Found in the Flood is a successful piece of work, but it doesn’t quite reach the level that their previous outing did. Hopefully we’ll see this new sound perfected in the future, but for now our best bet is to embrace Found in the Flood for what it is rather than wishing for what could have been.