REVIEW: Glass Cloud – ‘Perfect War Forever’

November 13th, 2013

Kriston McConnell

Artist: Glass Cloud
Album: Perfect War Forever EP
Genre: Metalcore
Label: Equal Vision Records

The reason Glass Cloud initially caught my attention is because I was a huge fan of Sky Eats Airplane, which Jerry Roush used to be the lead vocalist for. Glass Cloud’s Royal Thousand was a huge hit with fans in 2012, and when the group announced they would be releasing a new EP, there was a roar of excitement amongst their listeners. I personally was pleasantly surprised to hear the first single, “Trapped Like Rats,” which was released the same day as the EP announcement. The band clearly updated their sound, which could be heard with the very first couple of notes.

The biggest style change the band made with Perfect War Forever is the lack of clean vocals. There are almost none. Is this a good change? Well, I for one am a fan of Jerry Roush’s clean vocals, so it’s a little bit of a bummer. However, the change isn’t detrimental to the band’s overall sound, and just adds to the the heavier direction they’ve taken.

“Trapped Like Rats” and “How To Survive Suicide” are the two standout tracks on this five-track EP. They were great choices for singles from the EP, and represent the best elements the EP has to offer. While the lack of clean vocals makes for a different listening experience, I would have liked to have heard that more on this album. I feel that it gives this genre of music a good dynamic, especially when the unclean vocals don’t have a huge range. Luckily, that doesn’t have a huge negative effect on the sound, and you can still easily enjoy the album.

Given the fact that the band only released their debut album mid last year, it’s pretty impressive that they managed to release another album that has such a different sound already. I always find that EPs aren’t really that satisfying to listen to, as you are almost always left wishing there was more music to enjoy. Let’s hope they don’t waste too much time writing a new full-length for 2014.

The guitars are grungier, the unclean vocals are dirtier and the band overall has taken a more intense sound with this EP. Hopefully this is a sign of what we can expect from future releases by the band, as I am sure no fan would be disappointed. I personally can’t wait to hear what else the band has for us in the upcoming years.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by Kriston McConnell