REVIEW: No Bragging Rights- Illuminator [2011]
Artist: No Bragging Rights
Album: Illuminator
Rating: 9.5/10
Tracklist:
1. Beautiful And Spineless
2. 6th&Main
3. Weeding Out The Weak
4. Cease Fire
5. Illuminator
6. Empire Disarray
7. The Prospect
8. Blind Faith
9. Recognition
10. And They Threatened Us With Fire
11. Death Of An Era
REVIEW:
Having been around since 1999, Riverside, California Melodic Hardcore outfit No Bragging rights have finally found their sound after two full length’s and an EP with their breakout album Illuminator. The album opens with the banger known as Beautiful And Spineless fades in with drummer Martin Alcedo playing a catchy beat with his tom-toms proceeding vocalist Mike Perez showcases his unique vocal talents right off the bat. I was surprised to learn that he also performs both all the screams and clean singing as well.
Continuing listening through the album I realized it seems that all the songs do in fact sound somewhat similar and seem to run together which usually turns out to be a bad thing but not in the case of this album. Other albums that run together have you asleep halfway through the album whilst Illuminator keeps you begging for more from the begging of Beautiful And Spineless all the way through to the closer track Death Of An Era. No Bragging Rights have the catchy factory which helps them a lot in becoming a lot of people’s personal favorite band but at the same time great lyrical content and passion throughout all thirty seven minutes and fifteen seconds of this album. Be sure to lookout for this band this year and the years to come because they are well on their way to stardom.
Standout Tracks:
Weeding Out The Weak: This track is one of my personal favorites of this album mainly because of Mike’s singing. The build up to the chorus and the chorus itself (this line specifically “just cause you gave up won’t mean I will too. I won’t let this go when you’re the one responsible”) sends chills down my spine. After the second chorus comes to a close is one of the most crushing breakdowns on the whole CD after proceeding to a slower more melodic buildup to a third and final slowed down slightly altered chorus and the transition into the CDs only “interlude” track Cease Fire flows perfectly. (listen here: Weeding Out The Weak)
Empire: Disarray: Being the CDs only single you know there has to be something special about it that makes it stick out from the rest. Starting right off with the first “in your face” kind of verse leading up to the first chorus. This song (especially the chorus) have my favorite lyrical content on the whole album. The song tells a story about not taking the shit people give you and standing up to those who are corrupt. (listen here: Empire: Disarray)
Final Verdict:
All in all Illuminator was definitely one of my favorite records of 2011 and has everything you could expect and want from a Melodic Hardcore band. Every song flows together perfectly and is perfect vocally, lyric wise and instrumental wise in every way, shape and form even though it seems to run together just a little bit. Be sure to pick up this CD at your local CD store, their merch store (http://consumermerch.com/products/no-bragging-rights-illuminator), on Itunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/illuminator/id410161505) or go to a show of their’s and support the band directly! Their new CD “Cycles” releases on October 16th! (listen to the first single here: Hope Theory)