Bone Chilling Masterpiece

Long weird song titles aside, the Chiodos have done it again.

Similar to progressions in most emo bands have advanced immaculately over the past year to release their 3rd album entitled "Bone Palace Ballet". This 10 song album keeps you on your toes and makes you listen to every single world Craigery Owens sings/screams. Cliché violins clutter the songs, to try and make the songs sound more ‘mature’, even if they truthfully don’t need the strings to make them sound better.

More than their last album, this was a surprise to see from these 5 men. Their limited sound just expanded a lot more, and they could now have a wide range of fans.

Track 1 - Is It A Progression If A Cannibal Uses A Fork?
This song makes you think of ways to describe it. Amazing? No. Historical? Definitely not. A great rock song? Yes.

Track 2 - Lexington (Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face)
From beginning to end, this song leaves you awe-struck. From the pianos simplicity, to the guitar riff in the middle of the song, till the faded out singing. This song killed off the stereotype that emo music was all dark and depressing.

Track 3 - Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered
It’s a bit hard to understand exactly why they made this song sound so different than the rest of the album. Interesting in its own sense, but not interesting enough.

Track 4 - A Letter From Janelle
It starts off like one of those really cheesy 80’s pop songs, but then progresses into a regular rock love song. The last words of this song [‘such a paradox, isn’t it?’] get annoying when they repeat it the 3rd time. Boys, no need to repeat a line that should’ve only been said once.

Track 5 - I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was A Wizard.
More of an upbeat in-your-face rock song. The chorus of boys in the background give the song more depth than it truly has.

Track 6 - Teeth The Size Of Piano Keys
This song goes back to the Chiodos roots. More of a melodic scream that goes with the heavy guitars and piano. This song has a very uplifting feeling. Craig’s vocals are better on this song than on the rest before, but, he should try to stay away from the high notes because he sounds like a dying squirrel.

Track 7 - Life Is A Perception Of Your Own Reality
This song begins like it should be played at a ballroom dance in England in the 1700’s. Beautiful as the string instruments sound, it doesn’t quite fit with the nature of the song. On the plus side, they have managed to make a good pop rock song to please the parents.

Track 8 - If I Cut My Hair, Hawaii Will Sink
Very cliché beginnings bore me. That’s why the beginning of this song made me roll my eyes. However, as soon as they picked up the tempo and mixed in the violin and guitars, I smiled. Craig and Bradley’s harmony in this song is amazing. It fits it, and leaves you satisfied, and ready for Brad’s loud, harsh screams at the end of the song. It may be loud, but it’s the perfect ending.

Track 9 - Intensity In Ten Cities
This song is true brilliance and beautiful. It shows you exactly how much talent these men have. Their slow songs, always leave me with goose bumps. This song probably has the deepest lyrics in the whole album. This song leaves you with tears stinging in the corner of your eyes.

Track 10 - The Undertakers Thirst For Revenge Is Unquenchable (The Final Battle)
This song is utter brilliance. The way they composed it to sound like old Chiodos, made me satisfied. Even though quite a bit of this song is screamed, the music makes up for it. The metal/punk sound of this song is quite different from the rest of the album. This song defiantly ties off the bow on the present, and this present isn’t socks.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

If you like the sounds of screaming and heavy guitars mixed with mellow pianos and violins, this album is for you.