Artist: Feed Her To The Sharks
Album: Savage Seas
Genre: Melodic Metalcore

In the three years that have passed since their formation, Melbourne’s Feed Her To The Sharks have gone from Australian sensations to rising international stars whose popularity shows no signs of slowing. Their pulverizing take on modern melodic metalcore has helped them quickly garner praise worldwide, thanks no doubt to the viral success of their debut, The Beauty Of Falling, and now the group take another bold step forward in their career with the release of Savage Seas.

When we last heard from Feed Her To The Sharks their sound was, admittedly, a little derivative of fellow Aussie act Parkway Drive. Both band shared similar lyrical zeal, as well as seemingly endless love of playing triplets, but while those similarities still remain, FHTTS make it clear they are in a new league all their own from the opening moments of Savage Seas. Waves of EDM synth give way to pulsing drums as the title track leads you in with a fitting vocal introduction from vocalist Andrew Vanderzalm. For a moment there is a the familiar fear of the group straying too far into the realm of generic EDM-laden metalcore with clean (possibly auto-tuned) hooks, but as the verses dig their way into your cerebellum that relentlessly intense push forward musically erases all thoughts the group will take the predictable route long before the second track, “Memory Of You,” can come to a close.

Once Savage Seas sinks its hooks into you, Feed Her To The Sharks take every opportunity they can to get as heavy as possible without risking the loss of their technical prowess. Their name may sound disposable, but it does not take long to realize these guys know how to craft gritty riffs and truly engaging song structures that go beyond flash-in-the-pan appeal. “Fuck Melbourne” and “Shore Of Loneliness,” for instance, might as well be the soundtrack to the next citywide riot with swirling guitars, punishing percussion, and an unwavering sense of energy that sticks to your bones and all but forces you into action. Moshing may not be your thing, but listening to this album makes you want to tear buildings apart brick by brick for the sake of causing destruction, and if it weren’t for the persistent lyrical focus on bettering oneself, standing tall, and pushing on in the face of aggression it would be easy to classify FHTTS are another generic, angry breakdown band. But this band is more, so, so much more, and it’s only on repeat listens that it becomes clear how much they have to offer to the modern metalcore scene.

It does not take a degree in culture studies to realize the current state of the metalcore scene is in disarray. There may be more bands than ever vying for attention, which in many ways is a good because it carries the promise of a bright future, but the unfortunate truth is that the vast majority of young acts on the circuit today are essentially copy/paste version of more talented groups who have already made their mark. Feed Her To The Sharks were once another nameless knockoff to many, but with Savage Seas‘ nine brutalizing tracks they have not only learned from their debut, but become a better, more original band as a result. There is a lot of familiarity on this release, and that easy accessibility will no doubt carry them far, but in the long run what will set Feed Her To The Sharks apart is their ability to tap into that indescribable part of your soul that clings to music that motivates you to push yourself further in life. Listening to Savage Seas prepares you for another day of battling the forces in life that seem to always be against you, and I can think of no better quality for a release such as this to have. Give them a chance, and even if you don’t love the record I can guarantee you’ll find something you can appreciate (if not play repeatedly until someone asks you to stop).

Score: 7.5/10
Review written by: James Shotwell (Twitter)

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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