For some, listening to metal began as an act of defiance or rebellion against parents, peers, etc. The distorted vocals, instrumentation, and nonconventional presentation in which the music was portrayed provided a platform for those who were unsatisfied or seeking more than the mainstream. It has been understood that black, death, grind, and a handful of other similar genres held the title of most radical paths of metal to explore, but I would argue that hardcore also earned its place high on the extreme scale as of late. While not relying on religious criticism or unfathomable tempos, Illinois-based Yüth Forever finds their musical extremism in the fusion of contrasting genres and rhythmical dissonance.
After listening to the album's first single, "People Pleaser," I thought I had a relative idea of what Yüth Forever was all about. But my initial opinion sure was flipped upside-down as I delved deeper into this record. The unusual melodies and pacing of the thirteen compositions in this release evokes a rather disorienting and uneasy feeling. The group pushes artistic ideas to limits that sometimes come off as not so aesthetically pleasing. Granted, the discordant riffs on tracks such as "Warmth" or "Villains" represent an abstract take on the genre's usual structure in an actually appealing fashion.
Fair warning that songs "Suicidal Pistol Grip Pump," "Do You?," and "Innocence" hold nothing of what I would musically consider metal. Instead of guitar and live drums, electronic atmospheres create a transition between the heavy-hitters. The inclusion of piano, samples, and other instrumentation not within the cliche scope of hardcore add a unique flavoring. Knowing that this style of music isn't for every metalhead, tracks like "People Pleaser, "SYF," and "Growing Pains" are what I would deem the less risky or crossover pieces to test the waters.
Devin MacGillivary's vocals may be a deal-breaking factor while listening to this LP. I've heard a lot of comparisons to Korn, which is moderately accurate when focusing on the guitar tones, however the emo-whiney scream resembles more of a Sworn In vibe (I think I heard a couple 'bleh's in there too). The high register that continues through every track can be a bit grating. What Yüth Forever may lack in vocal range and diversity, they make up through emotional and nostalgic lyrical depth.
With the use of downtempo electronica and groove-based metalcore, Yüth Forever establishes themselves as an interesting outlier in the scene. Honestly, there's parts that I really enjoy and portions that rub me the wrong way. Admittedly, there is some shock value that adds merit to this album. I can very well predict the vocal execution and unorthodox approach to the songwriting being turn-offs to some, yet I do understand and acknowledge the significance of this experimentation. All in all, I find that Skeleton Youth Forever delivers a pivotal direction of the hardcore genre, but suffers from stale repetition. While this likely won't be hitting my favorite releases of the year list, it certainly had a memorable impact.
Score: 7.5/10
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FdN-AIQb_M[/youtube]
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