Review: Between the Buried and Me – Between the Buried and Me (2002)

Between the Buried and Me over the last 7 years have created a tapastry that they can call their own. Weaving sounds ranging from brutal death metal breakdowns, to progressive power metal riffs, to jazz fusion. To call BTBAM a creative band would be an understatement. Forming in North Carolina in 2000, BTBAM’s individualism would come to life almost immediately, however, unlike later releases, the means to conform were a bit tempting for the new band, and on their self title debut released in 2002, this is quite evident.

With a sound that can be likened to Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish combined with their own original sound that persists to this day, BTBAM demonstrated their musicianship skills, but also showed that they are not above artistic expression that takes heavily from contemporary influences. Realistically this self titled album is not bad in any particular way, but the originality and progressive chops that rear themselves in later albums are not as prevalent here.

If anyone is familiar with the bands I listed above as influences, you’ll know what I mean. Combining hardcore and swedish melodic death riffs, Brit grindcore, and brutal death metal breakdowns, we hear an album that, while pretty good, fails to stand out from the crowd.

Still though, the originality that has perpetuated their reputation thus far is distinct in this record, but I can’t help but feel it is still a little too generic.

I can’t speak for the band, but it seems like they recognized their ability to write original works that went beyond what was currently being written in America. They realized that their sound depended upon those few original quarks that popped in the first album (like the soft rock interlude at the end of “Fire for A Dry Mouth”), and once they worked out the kinks, they expanded upon the sound of this self titled album and ran with it to become the sensation they currently are.

GOOD

Top Tracks: Fire For A Dry Mouth, Use of A Weapon

Similar Bands: Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish

1. More of Myself to Kill
2. Arsonist
3. Aspirations
4. What We Become
5. Fire for a Dry Mouth
6. Naked by the Computer
7. Use of a Weapon 04:51
8. Shevanel Cut a Flip

Thomas Giles Rogers Jr. – Vocals, Keyboards
Paul Waggoner – Guitars
Dusty Waring – Guitar
Dan Briggs – Bass
Blake Richardson – Drums

Lifeforce Records
www.betweentheburiedandme.com
www.myspace.com/betweentheburiedandmeband