Album Review: Reasons Behind - Project: M.I.S.T.

Sometimes it's hard to stand back and watch the world expand in every direction, not knowing which one you should take, because you cannot be everywhere at once. Simultaneously, we see bands recreating the organic sound of the past in their rock and metal, while others are pushing forward with the most synthetic and modern sounds possible. Both are gaining success, but it feels to me hard to fully embrace both, because they are contrary philosophies to the very idea of how much should sound. Reasons Behind are fully on the modern sound, with an electronic and synth-heavy style of metal that could not have existed before now.

Before I get into talking about the music, I just want to throw out a philosophical question; why do bands start albums with minute-long swells of noise that have no redeeming musical value or ties to the following song? It's a waste of time, and it annoys me greatly.

As for the music itself, Reasons Behind is treading now familiar ground, with a blend of chugging modern metal, synths throughout, and pop melodies. This style has been growing quickly, and I get why. When it's done well, it mixes the heavy crunch of metal with the irresistible allure of pop music. That's when it's done well. Reasons Behind is still working on getting to that point.

There are two main things holding them back; a lack of commitment, and a disagreement in taste. For the former, I was surprised when listening to this record that despite the promise of a more synth-oriented sound, those elements are never pushed to the front of the mix. The synths are details in the background, with the chugging guitars out front doing most of the heavy lifting. I would have preferred the other order, since the guitars don't play the most interesting of riffs (not that they should for the style), and the synths could add extra layers of melody and color to make the songs stand out. The more anonymous part was emphasized, which isn't optimal. For the latter, I'll just say that there will be people who won't enjoy Elisa Bonafe's accent as she sings.

The songs themselves are fine, catchy numbers. They have enough pop to them to go along with the heavier guitars. The melodies have stickiness to them, while several of them fly by with the tempo and rhythm of other popular forms of music. If there's a problem here, it's simply that these songs aren't at the same level as what Amaranthe has developed into, and with another album from them coming shortly, I can't help but hear in this record that their competition is going to raise the bar very soon.

That being said, this record is perfectly enjoyable. If you want a dose of heavy and catchy metal, Reasons Behind has just that for you. This is a record that gives us a respite from thinking about the heavier subjects of life for a little while, and there's nothing wrong with being a diversion. This album might have its faults, and it doesn't feel complete enough to be a concept album (which it apparently is), but it's a fine listen.