ONE LIFE ALL-IN: Eye Of The Storm (HARDCORE): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

We left One Life All-In almost 3 years ago with an EP ("Letter Of Forgiveness" 2020) which won us over with its open, melancholy hardcore. "Eye Of The Storm" is the fruit of 3 years disturbed by a difficult global context, with pandemics, war and an increasingly polarized society... So many subjects that justify this storm serving as the basis for an expansive hardcore album. The fruit of a meeting between America (Don Foose) and Europe, the music on One Life All-In is explosive.

The previous EP was marked by a spirit of openness to other styles, not limited to the hardcore genre. This DNA has remained for this new album: the band doesn't seem to set any limits, giving a varied color to an album with a difficult subject matter. Opener 'Do Or Die' likes to blur the lines with its hardcore punk, which is just one facet of an album teeming with ideas based essentially on energy and urgency. These two components are reflected in the relatively short tracks, no more than four minutes long.

The guitar and rhythm work is impressively varied. This album explores a whole range of rock and metal, from Judas Priest ('Despair') to Anthrax ('Eye Of The Storm'), not forgetting, of course, The Offspring for that festive or recreational dimension. Don masters his vocals to perfection, with his characteristic roughness. The hardcore dissipates as the album develops, revealing an interesting array of contrasts, as evidenced by the heavy eponymous track, which conceals a subtle melancholy.

One Life All-In likes to surprise and not be where you expect them to be. The track 'War' is a good example. Just when you'd expect a wall of sound to hit you in the face, the almost atmospheric intro catches you off guard. The song builds slowly but surely to the rhythm of a tank stuck in a bog. This is one of the highlights of a truly astonishing album. The balance between the musicians is perfect, and particular care has been taken with the sound, with the bass slamming perfectly ('My Turn To Win'). The band pay a heartfelt tribute to Faith No More with an effective cover of 'Digging The Grave'.

"Eye Of The Storm" is typically an album that surprises by blowing preconceptions out of the water. The band continues to open up, leaving more and more room for styles that ultimately work well together. With a little more development on certain tracks, the next album should be flawless. - Official website

ONE LIFE ALL-IN

EYE OF THE STORM

AUTOPRODUCTION

HARDCORE