I’m far from a certified music critic but I also have thoughts on records as I listen to them. I’ve heard of Boundaries in bits and bobs up until this year, but have seen r/metalcore go wild for their new album, Death is Little More, so I figured it was worth a shot to listen to. I knew going in that they weren’t necessarily my style of metalcore—I have no qualms admitting how much I love a good clean chorus—but I found myself pleasantly surprised coming out of it. There is a constant theme of dealing with loss/heartbreak throughout the album, which relates to my personal life some so that did add a more personal touch to the album, that I found enjoyable. Helped keep everything connected, too. Boundaries does a great job here of making songs stand out, yet also flow into one another, including a great transition from Darkness Shared into Like Petals From a Stem. Still not quite my cup of tea, but did pick up a few bangers for the metal playlist.
Turning Hate Into Rage – 6/10 yeah this is way more Hardcore than I like but at the same time it does rip your face off and sends us right into the deep end. Fourth shortest song on the album so quick in and out. No cleans = downgrade for me (sue me).
Darkness Shared – 8/10 I liked this one. Shout out to the ending “i am less/i am more” over and over again before an absolutely absurd ending of “what’s going to happen when I cut your head off, you stupid motherfucker?”
Like Petals From a Stem – 7/10 all angry but holy fuck was it cathartic to listen to still. Song rolls right in from Darkness Shared’s ending into an absolutely brutal description of what Matt McDougal would do to you. The release at :42 sounds so just…primordial. Then it ends with the soft, either-ear bit. Interesting. Also the shortest song on the record at just 1:26.
Easily Erased – 8/10 loved how they go high-mid-low in vocal ranges on this one. The guitar riffage is also really hypnotic in pulling in the head nodding. The “my eyes are dry for the first time in my life” scream into that just soaring “Will you BREAKKKK” was the highlight for me. Just fucking peak metalcore right there. The slowdown right after 2 minutes was a nice changeup too before another brutal ending. Added to the general metal playlist.
Cursed to Remember – 7/10 I found the second half of the song more interesting. The mixing of vocals in a few parts was a nice emphasis on the lyrics, and that techno-ish outtro into the chugs was cool. This song feels like it’d grow on me.
Death is Little More – 6/10 Expected a little more out of the title track? IDK, this one just sounded forgettable coming off of Cursed to Remember.
A Pale Light Lingers – 7/10 More that industrial influence in parts of the song make it more a journey to listen too then just chug-chug-chug. Introduction of another grunt adds more complexity to the song which is good. Lyrically, I found something about this song that stood out compared to what I had heard before. There’s a very obvious theme in the record of dealing with loss/breakup. Something about this song really drove it home.
Face the Blade – 8/10 A standout on the album. The music changes slightly–it’s definitely not as rough and heavy as other parts of the album, but the vocals still ooze that underlying current of venom and anger. I’m a sucker for cleans in metalcore, but this is a great example of where they aren’t needed to still be a fucking banger. I really have enjoyed how Boundaries drop in some of that talking lyrics near the end, and then it comes back with one big scream and a sweet little breakdown. Added this one to the general metal playlist.
Sears on the Soul – 7/10 but could rise. I can’t tell if I like the guitar riff or if it’s just so spooky it sticks with me. But there’s something about it in this song. That it was the first thing I thought to note. From 1:20-1:42 was very interesting. Again a fan of the talk lyric to build us up before dragging us back down into the pit. Again liked the use of scream/clean vocals in harmony, really does add something. “Will you walk with me into entropy?” is also an all-timer question for the fucked up and scarred in all of us.
Blame’s Burden – 8/10 Guitars go in a more metal direction on this song so it instantly drags me in more. Marcus Vik on the cleans also adds something the album hasn’t had yet–most notably, there are more than 2 bars of cleans before more screams. I really dug this record and added it to the general metal playlist, as well.
Blood Soaked Salvation – 4/10 The vocals sound like shit, just going to say it. IDK where Matt Honeycutt recorded from but it sounds like he’s screaming through a tube into a mic that’s 10 feet away from him. I just could do without the song, but the lyrics again help put this album in the context Boundaries was going with. The music itself isn’t bad also, just not standout. Just not a fan.
Inhale the Grief – 7/10 Great way to send the album off. The look inward and self acceptance in the lyrics hit closer to home than I care to admit at the moment, although perhaps a little more bleak than my life is. Felt this was a great way to end the album considering the themes running throughout. One more mix of scream/clean vocals also did it for me. Then, just a perfect lyric to end: “I feel like a fuck up, I feel like a failure/But at least it’s not every day, and I am getting better.”
Overall: 7/10 record (rounded up) from the accumulation of the song scores. I enjoyed this record, don’t know how often I’ll come back to it, but happy I listened to what everyone has been saying. I do appreciate that there is no fat on this album—while I didn’t like Blood Soaked Salvation, it’s not out of place and it’s under 2 minutes long. We are in and out on this record, and I can appreciate that. This will be a metalcore AOTY contender, and I can see why. I know it won’t be mine, though.
A Whately Devil 