An eight year absence has not dulled Walls of Jericho’s aggression. The stalwarts of American metalcore return with its fifth record, No One Can Save You From Yourself. Frontwoman Candace Kucsulain’s guttural vocals grab your attention on the colossal “Illusion of Safety.” The track is pure hardcore stomp with blocky riffs and pounding drums. The thrashing title track is notable for its blunt, yet empowering lyrics. Candace advocates the importance of self-improvement and that only you can help yourself. The urgency of the music complements the lyrics as the world will not wait on you to get it together. The chugging riffs on “Forever Militant” drive the song forward as Candace belts out that she is walking proud despite the scars she wears. This is just a heavy slab of hardcore that makes one stand tall and dignified. The bouncy “Fight the Good Fight” gets the blood pumping and a music video was filmed for it. It is one of the more accessible tracks on No One and will become a fan favorite. The album’s initial single “Relentless” is good summary of the track. It is a maniacal, fast paced song that jumps from thrash to breakdown and back again. Once again, the lyrics center around persistence and courage in the hour of darkness. You believe Candace when she yells “without struggle there is no strength!”
No One Can Save You From Yourself is metalcore done right. A common mistake bands in this subgenre make is playing too intricately or too simple. Metalcore bands are often criticized for attempting to play Swedish death metal and sounding watered down. On the other hand, some bands just play dumbed down hardcore. On No One, Walls of Jericho know when to play it straight and when to get technical. The songs are not dumbed down for the sake of heaviness nor does the band overdo the musical complexity. This makes the album a strong listen from start to finish.
The wait was worth it. No One Can Save You From Yourself only solidifies Walls of Jericho status as one America’s best metal bands. Fans of the band will appreciate the positive lyrics and no-nonsense riffs. Walls of Jericho struck gold and are once again ready to unleash relentless metal on the world. Keep fighting the good fight.
For news and tour dates, check out the band’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WallsofJericho