Sioux City, Iowa metalcore titans, For Today are back with another album of fiery anthems. The key to their new album, Fight the Silence is it’s core message, changing the world. They want to see the world change for the better. Eliminate the evils and accentuate the good. To do this they need everyone to hear them loud and clear. Ideas like breaking cycles of bad behaviors and fighting the silence and exposing injustice resound through this album.
“Molotov” blazes into your ears and kicks the album off with the scream of “Burn it down!” This emphatic cry is typical faire for lead vocalist Mattie Montgomery and company. They go on to say, “A spark is all we need to see a revolution” This song continues the desire of this band to inspire people to ‘take their flame and ignite their world’. It is definitely enough to get you amped up.
I have a great deal of respect for what For Today did with their next song, “Fight The Silence”. After hearing about the horrors of human trafficking, the band decided to use their platform to bring awareness to this issue, even donating proceeds from the sale of the single to fight human trafficking. That is putting your money where your mouth is and I think it is admirable. They say, “This song we sing to silence the suffering. When will hear their cries? This song we sing to silence the suffering.When will we open our eyes?” Human trafficking is a huge problem and is great that they took the time to address it. The song itself is really catchy and makes sense that it is the first single from the album.
The next song is self described as the heaviest song the band has ever done, “Pariah”. It is about martyrdom, the slaughter of people for their faith in God. It is a brutal song for a brutal topic. The lyric, “You can’t kill me, I’m already dead,” shakes the windows of heaven. It doesn’t get much more metal than that. The vocal shredding vocals echo around in your head. On this tune, Montgomery gives a voice to all those that have died for faith and gives you an idea of the level of conviction they must have held to make such a sacrifice. “My convictions are not for sale,” he bellows.
“Reflections” is an interlude that actually features guitarist and back up vocalist, Ryan Leitru he even did the instrumental arrangement for the song. It leads perfectly into “Break The Cycle” feat. Matty Mullins from Memphis May Fire. This is my favorite song on the album. It is so catchy but also really heavy. I love the line that kicks off the song, “It’s the blind, leading the blind, leading the blind to their demise.” Matty Mullins does a nice job on this song as well.
The song, “A Call To Arms” starts off like a hurricane. This song talks about taking up the mantle Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was so passionate about the war on poverty. They present the solution to some of the problems of modern society, addressing the problems of the poor. They express this by yelling, “Desperate men, do desperate things.” Musically, drummer David Puckett sounds at home throughout this album and in this band even though he is fairly new to it. On this song, he provides a driving beat and melodic bouncing rhythm.
“For The Fallen” is punishing. I love the repeating screams of “Deadmen tell no tales.” This is message to Christians that have strayed away from the faith, “You are not what you have done, this is not who you are. No matter how far you have run, you have not gone too far.” It is a song proclaiming that no matter what you have done, until the day you die you still have a chance for salvation. This band cares about your eternal destiny and are doing everything in their power to express that in this song.
“Fatherless” is the most personal song that I have heard them do. It is an extremely personal song about lead singer Mattie Montgomery’s personal struggle with life without his father and also how it can affect a child growing up without a father. “Dead To Rights” talks about the judgment that people deserve, that Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price for. It is the primary tenet of Christian belief. They convey this important message with a passion that only they can convey. The bridge of the song has a dramatic reading of Revolution chapter 20 verses 13 and 14. The thumping bass line is just an example of bassist Brandon Leitru’s steady groove that is present throughout the album.
“My voice is a weapon” is a theme for the song, “One Voice”. It talks about the power of one person with conviction standing up and being heard. The soloing of guitarists, Ryan Leitru and Sam Penner make a nice melody, it is an interesting interplay. They proclaim, “Let them see your heart, this is true conviction.” This song should be fun to sing along to live. “Resonate” is the second interlude of the album. This song is almost a lullaby. The repeated refrain of “We are not alone,” is affirming and reassuring. It prepares you for the battle that the next song and the album’s closer, “Hated By The World” is sure to evoke. This song is Montgomery’s letter to those that have said the negative things about the band in the past based on their beliefs and statements in the past. Mattie Montgomery and For Today have a heart for people and with their parting words it is the last thing they leave with you. He says, “I haven’t given up on you, even if you give up on me.”
Fight the Silence is a barnburner of an album. It is heavy and furious from top to bottom. It is also extremely melodic and catchy throughout as well. For Today has managed to perfect this balance. The band seems even more confident, not only in their unshakeable faith and devotion but also in their musical ability. This album is definitely a must have for anyone that likes metalcore.
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