Back in 2004 I started to get into the metalcore genre. There were a number of bands that had an original take on the genre at the time and a number of releases that were somewhat praiseworthy. However, since that time the style has experience an even greater saturation and a number those bands' followups were disappointments. Bands are simply ripping off bands that were originally ripping off bands that took an influence or two from At the Gates / Swedish metal in general.

Enter Beneath the Sky and their full-length debut, What Demons Do to Saints, which includes four songs from their demo re-done and seven new songs. From some of the song titles, including "Falling in Love with Cold Hands," to the clichéd cover art, it's entirely apparent the direction that this album is heading in, which isn't a good thing for Beneath the Sky or Victory Records.

With so many metalcore bands saturating the genre, it's only an inevitability that there will be similarities between bands. Sometimes it even gets to the point where it seems a band is almost trying to rip off the original band. Bands like Darkest Hour manage to make it work because they at least impersonate an outstanding band, like the aforementioned At the Gates, and have added their own take on the style over the years, becoming one of the genre's best. Beneath the Sky, however, is a completely different story, as they seem to be highly content with ripping off Haste the Day. From the raspy shout and clean singing around the chorus to the pointless breakdowns and riffing, the album is screaming Haste the Day.

Unlike Haste the Day, though, Beneath the Sky fail at crafting memorable choruses and end up creating an entirely disposable album that is too monotonous for its own good. "7861" and "A Grave Mistake" are all you need to listen to if you want to know what the rest of the album sounds like. Sure, some of the parts in the songs might lead to an entertaining live show, but the song pummels the listener with generic and tedious metallic riffing for most of the song before throwing in unnecessary singing, all topped off with several meaningless breakdowns. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Beneath the Sky's What Demons Do to Saints is nothing more than just another nail in the metalcore coffin. The novelty of combining shouting and singing over countless breakdowns has long worn off and apparently Beneath the Sky didn't catch the memo.