Emmure's Goodbye to the Gallows is the band's debut full-length, which is entirely apparent in just about every aspect. Producing one of the most recycled metal/hardcore albums to be released in some time, if you wanted me to sum up Emmure in one simple phrase I would call them "Misery Signals gone tough-guy hardcore."

Generically enough, the band opens the album with "A Ticket for the Paralyzer," which is nothing more than a 50-second breakdown leading into "10 Signs You Should Leave." Right from the second song there are a number of flaws apparent, but the layered assault of guitars and occasional chaotic feel behind the instruments overall is somewhat interesting. Too bad by the time the song is halfway through you realize that it's all been one continuous breakdown, and that very same breakdown shows up on the next song, and the next, and just about every other song after that, occasionally giving way to the occasional melodic chord or guitar line that is semi-interesting, but is immediately ruined by, well, the following breakdowns.

The album reaches its pinnacle on "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong," which features an opening shout that sounds like what happens when the shouter is trying to refrain from sneezing while screaming his guts out. Besides around 80 percent of the song being nothing but a breakdown, the ending features one of the worst vocal parts ever, as the audible "won't you be my bride?" is backed by laughable dual screams. It literally sounds like a crazy stalker professing his love while his three friends are prancing around him screaming. If it weren't so comical I might have thrown up a little.

And that's basically it. Emmure could eventually progress into a better band, especially if they continue with their Misery Signals influence and rely less on the breakdown. But as they are now, Goodbye to the Gallows is one of the year's most generic releases. If you live for the breakdown and want to get your mosh on, then you've found your next favorite band. But for the rest of us, this is just another reason why hardcore is become nothing more than a big joke.