Miss May I “No Place For Me”
Ohio metalcore outfit Miss May I return in barnstorming fashion with album number eight No Place For Me which is arguably their most emotionally charged to date filled with fire and brimstone. Whilst the band haven’t broken any new ground on No Place For Me, what this band does and how they do it they do it well. The trials and tribulations that come with being in a band has definitely shaped this album with line-up changes and personal upheavals signalling a new era for the band. Without question they are survivors in what is a tough caper, and it has been well documented the emotional weight that these lyrics carry with the studio being a form of therapy and a cathartic experience amid the negativity and life challenges beyond those four walls.
To open with a song like Sanctuary sets the scene and sounds like the ultimate soul cleanser with big melodic metalcore riffs, fast double bass drumming right throughout complete with a big chorus. As far as what this band does they absolutely nail it. Vocalist Levi Benton’s impassioned roar is undeniable. Portrait Of Pain moves along with much the same frenetic pace and rings classic Miss May I. Hand Me A Halo makes for a subtle shift in the Miss May I sound. The menacing riffs behind the dark and edgy groove is an attention grabber.
Pray For Silence is an absolute banger and one of many highlights on show. More melodic compared to rest of the album, it’s almost the perfect balance of everything Miss May I complete with Ryan Neff’s clean vocals making it just as impactful. There’s no slowly down either with the rampaging Death Threat putting the foot on the throat of this one. Cue the circle pit with this breakdown and huge bouncy basslines. Flick the switch to hyperdrive for the frantic pace of Die On The Vine. Fire Falls is another high octane track leaning hard in to their melodic side yet still remaining very much Miss May I. A nod and a wink for Bury Me Down is one of those that etches its way in to the soul delving in to that album theme of internal conflict. Killer!
No Place For Me is one of those albums that sees the band put a mirror in front of themselves confronting themselves with a brute honesty and finding the words to say everything they have been keeping within for quite some time. Whilst there is no quantum leaps forward the sense of familiarity and emotional depth still makes it a compelling listen even for the staunchest of Miss May I fan. A revitalised chapter maybe? Nevertheless, Miss May I still have plenty to say and the fire inside remains.
Album Review By Rob Lyon
NO PLACE FOR ME IS OUT NOW VIA SOLID STATE RECORDS
https://mmi.ffm.to/noplaceforme
