On
Lost Memoirs and Faded Pictures, ex-
Zao frontman Shawn Jonas rises from the ashes of that well-regarded metalcore troupe with his new outfit,
Symphony in Peril. Jonas is still driven by the Christian beliefs of his former band if the lyrics to fast, riff-heavy assaults like "Shadow Over a Bleeding Heart" and "Unsteady Docks Along the Ohio" are any indication. With his deep death metal growl, it often seems ironic that Jonas is a Bible-thumping youth pastor by day, but his group, at times, indeed rivals the extremities of
Dillinger Escape Plan. At the other end of the spectrum,
Symphony's optimistic, uplifting side permeates mid-album numbers like "Letting Go Would Be an End" and "Beauty Forgotten." While music this intense isn't for everyone, fans of secular, metal-infused hardcore that balances brutality with melody have found an album to clutch onto. ~ John D. Luerssen