Ahh, metalcore, the greatest genre of music, known across the land for producing the most original and innovative music, with each band in the genre being intent on delivering something unique and distinctive. Oh, wait...
Enter I Killed the Prom Queen. Wow, there is something really original about that name. A connotation of death in the name of a metalcore band, I'm pretty sure that hasn't been done before. I think they are onto something. What's this, they're from Australia! Sweet, this means they are bound to have a unique sound, right? Wrong.
When Goodbye Means Forever⦠is horribly derivative from start to finish. It is clear these five young lads worship bands like As I Lay Dying, Evergreen Terrace and Misery Signals along with Swedish death metal bands like In Flames. However, instead of trying to build on these aforementioned bands' sounds (which, coincidentally is basically the same thing) they have decided to replicate it. Perhaps it is because they don't think there are enough bands out their doing this style of music? If they are under this assumption, I think they must be living under a rock or something.
Bitching aside about the state of metalcore and hardcore, this album is very, very catchy. If you are going to play this music, you might as well do it right. And IKTPQ does it right. The screamer/occasional singer is as rough as guts, and it contrasts very well with his spoken word parts. You all know the formula by now. Speak/yell in a pussy voice one line, then spit back another line (or even the same line) in a muffled, over-the-top manner. One thing I have to applaud though is how the band errs as much as possible from singing and instead focuses on Crafter's very powerful bellows.
Most of the songs have very intricate metal riffs (see the title track) before breaking into a balls-to-the-wall breakdown. I guess I have to admit that it's all in good fun. The lyrics are what you would expect from this sort of record. They're riddled with connotations of death and destruction and other typical tough guy with a heart of gold sort of things. But to be honest, who really cares what the "singer" is saying anyways. As long as the breakdown is accompanied with something that can be yelled easily, that's all that matters. A touch of desperation is also present in almost every song, which adds to the mosh out (or ninja dancing?) moments which come thick and fast.
So, if you want something to listen to for a laugh or something that will get you pumped up before you go to the orthodontist I would thoroughly recommend this. But if you want something original I would recommend something else, preferably something not in the metal genre. In the end I'm left with the feeling that I shouldn't like this, but I do. Congratulations Australia on producing another band that really pushes the envelope. First the Vines, then Jet and now I Killed the Prom Queen.