Scars of Tomorrow – “Failed Transmissions” [Album Review]

It’s been six years since Californian metalcore wreckers Scars of Tomorrow took their final bow and, let’s be honest, the metalcore scene has managed to survive well enough without them. You only have to look down the list of “marketing points” (most requested video on MTV Headbangers Ball for 3 months in 2003???) on the press release that accompanies their returning album to see why the metal scene has barely rippled at the news of their comeback.

Maybe I’m being a little unfair because, listening to the crunching riffs of “The Hollowed”, Scars Of Tomorrow are certainly a band with a lot to offer the metalcore scene. A very personal record, Failed Transmissions is thankfully devoid of most of the metalcore/hardcore traits. Songs like “Death’s Divide,” “Questions” and “Follow The Line” are powerful, abrasive songs that see the band step away from the metalcore rulebook with a sound that matches the harsh, passionate lyrics from frontman Mike Milford.

On that point alone, Scars Of Tomorrow should be applauded from showing enough about them to take their heavy, bludgeoning sound and expand it into something with a bit of brains behind it. The problem is that, in six years, metal/metalcore/hardcore has moved on and, while it is a great record, Failed Transmissions doesn’t do anything to really stand above the rest of the pack of bands frantically trying everything from buying Facebook likes to faking kidnaps, just to get the attention of that scene.

Perhaps I’ve got it all wrong? Maybe, the Californian shredders are happy with their lot. Maybe they’re happy with a mid-bill slot on the final Bleeding Through tour? If so, then good luck to them, but does the metal scene really need another six albums that, yes, are consistently good, but never quite do enough to elevate them out of that pack?

Track Listing:

01. Intro
02. The Distance
03. Victims
04. Failed Transmissions
05. Death’s Divide
06. Questions
07. The Hollowed
08. Follow The Line
09. Her Life In Focus
10. Thoughts Turn To Cold

Run Time: 29:08
Release Date: July 8, 2014

Check out the song “Questions”