Tracing Back Their Roots

This Summer the post-hardcore band We Came As Romans released their newest studio album titled Tracing Back Roots. This is the third album they have released since their formation in 2008. As far as the post-hardcore genre goes, they are quite popular. They have a unique sound that uses traditional rock instruments along with a synthesizer to create electronic sounds for their songs. They have one clean vocalist, and one screamer who can also sing clean a bit, and they complement each other very well. If you like bands such as A Skylit Drive, The Amity Affliction, or Abandon All Ships then this band is for you.

The album itself is easily their softest one yet. Of course it still has their hardcore sound, but the amount of scream vocals has decreased considerably since the previous two, and both singers now sing clean vocals. The electronics and choruses on the album also add a more pop-like sound than their previous work. The first single off TBR title "Hope" is a perfect example. While containing heavy guitar riffs, a lot of bass pedal, and chilling synth, the song has a lighter feel to it. While it does use scream vocal, they are very melodic, and the chorus is brilliantly well done mixing pop and hardcore quite well. The album is already their highest selling, and most popular to date. This album has really put the band on the map in not only the post-hardcore scene, but the whole rock genre scene.

Other than "Hope" the band has released two other singles on this album. "Fade Away" and "Tracing Back Roots" which obviously shares the title with the album. These two songs contrast vastly for WCAR standards meaning that "Fade Away" is on the softer side, and "Tracing Back Roots" is very heavy. The defining characteristic or "Fade Away" is the heavy, but catchy synthesizer riff, and melodic chorus that just begs to be sung along to. You can hear the song here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JvmqRYZ56Y
"Tracing Back Roots" is perhaps the hardest song on the album, and also the most unique. For the first two minutes approximately it is strictly heavy riffs, along with scream vocals. At about the 1:45 mark the song takes U-turn and breaks down. It finishes with a lovely soft vocal segment about love of family, and then finishes strong with chilling "woahs" and the singer repeating "my home is in your heart." This is amazing live, absolutely everybody was singing along at their concert I saw. A link to the song is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Cn7IN9Hj4 And lastly, my favorite song off the album titled "A Moment." This songs mixes clean and scream vocals very nicely, and the chorus is incredible. find the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW-ZfPGJlrg That's all for today, check out the band's website here: http://www.wecameasromans.com/

-TR