you ask me, Unconditional has a Crown the Empire or Confide kind of feel to it, sans-breakdowns.

 

I'd actually like to address "breakdowns" right now since it's brought up: This album has far less of these moments than I expected. Being no stranger to festivals like South By So What?! and Warped Tour, I thought I knew what to expect as far as "jam" moments this album might provide, but it really surprised me. Most songs forgo the typical breakdown sections to bring in strings, acoustic guitar, and "spacy-er" interludes. In my opinion, this decision puts a check mark in the "win" column, since using breakdowns sparingly will only make their live show more distinguishable when paired with other heavy acts.

 

The album starts off with the single and the track that provides the album's title with the line: "This is no ordinary love/ listen up/  this is unconditional.” "No Ordinary Love" is a melodic, fast paced, fairly hectic introduction that sets the tone for the whole album. Thematically, Matty Mullens chose to focus on the fact that everyone makes mistakes, but in his words, "The door will open when we realize we don't hold the key/ I tried to save myself, but I failed” … "Relinquishing control/ And allowing a higher power to take over/ And guide us in the way we should go" is the entire focus of Unconditional. In this case, that higher power is Matty's faith and trust in God.

 

It was refreshing for me to see an album written with these sentiments in mind. In the metal scene, positive themes are few and far between, and I feel that they are a viable standpoint to write from. It's obvious Matty feels conviction about his beliefs, and I respect him for standing by them, despite public criticism (a la Issues/The Amity Affliction). I'm a major fan of UnderØath, August Burns Red, and As I Lay Dying, but only one of those bands is still going strong, so I welcome a heavy sound with some real meat to it, lyrically.

 

Tracks one through four are the standard, and much loved, heavy, fast paced, screaming verses with the crooning chorus. Matty's voice shines nicely and it's tons of fun to sing along to. As I listen along, track five, "Possibilities,” is really what stands out. This is the first track with a musical intro that lasts longer than a few seconds without vocals. It's engrossing and the progression pumps you up for the verse to start. The lyrics in this track stick up for the oppressed and heavy burdened, calling for us to extend a hand to help out our fellow man. Like I said before, there's some real meat to the words, such as: "Would we ignore them now if they were our children or make a promise to always be there/ Remove the veil from your eyes; we could move mountains if we only tried.”

 

Track six, "Speechless" is the slowest jam on Unconditional, so it provides a few minutes to breathe before getting back into it. Driven heavily by keys, strings, and a solid beat, the song is a contemplation of love, real love. However you may interpret this, it is left up to you. Subtlety is an art form, and I appreciate that nothing in this song is shoved down my throat. Fans of a softer sound can really grasp onto this track, and it shows the sonic range of Memphis May Fire. The rest of Unconditional brings back the heat and they do what they do best: kill.

 

Tracks seven through eleven are variations of a theme. They have the same feel and flavor, but there's plenty to love. Up tempo guitars, heavy, heavy vocals, soaring choruses, and a beat that gets your blood pumping, the b-side of Unconditional continues the trend set by previous tracks. "Pharisees" and "The Rose" are my favorite tracks here, but "Need To Be" and "Divinity" have a lot to offer. I definitely expect those latter songs sound amazing when performed live.  

 

The only real criticism I have for the tracks on this album is that the lead guitar is mixed pretty low. I'm fairly certain that this is done so the drums can really pop while listening, and I'm aware that that's basically the standard for hardcore mixes these days. I just would've enjoyed having the "shredding" a little higher. If you're the type who loves vocals/drums, however, you're gonna love this mix.

 

Drenched in positivity, Unconditional is a wild ride through melodic highs and grunge-y low tones. I've been looking for an album with this sound and feel for a few months now, and I didn't even realize it. This was honestly my first foray into Memphis May Fire, not counting the time I saw them at SXSW?!, but I enjoyed buying their older records to see how they've progressed. I whole-heartedly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys the likes of Confide, As I Lay Dying (The Powerless Rise being their most positive album lyrically), or Crown The Empire.

 

Memphis May Fire just finished a tour in the states and is currently playing in various locations throughout Europe and Asia. They'll be back soon however, and I'll be the first one in line for a ticket. Snag a copy of Unconditional and see for yourself just how energetic the ride is. You may also find yourself with some relevant food for thought.