Album Review: The Amity Affliction ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’

Over the past decade Aussie metalcore heroes The Amity Affliction have blessed our eardrums with innovative melodies, brutal breakdowns, and monster sing-alongs fit for stadiums. Following the immense success of ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’ in 2014, the Queenslanders found themselves selling out Brisbane’s Riverstage and playing in front of tens of thousands at venues such as Rod Laver Arena. Now one of the most recognised heavy acts around, The Amity Affliction have dropped their fifth studio album, ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’, that sounds…well like Amity.

The new album sees the quartet venture into new territory, experimenting with different sounds and expanding their songwriting boundaries. The fresh direction feels like a more mature and considered approach, encouraging light and shade throughout the album.

However, listening to the album start to finish there’s moments where we thought “haven’t we heard this before?”. While Amity will always be Amity (and we love ’em),’This Could Be Heartbreak’ has us feeling slightly torn as it doesn’t sound like anything we haven’t already heard from the metalcore giants.

“…it feels as though ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’ is the B side to ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’.”

Opening with title-track I Bring The Weather With Me, the album shows early positive signs. An emotional, melodic, and heavy hitting track, I Bring The Weather With Me immediately highlights the new direction The Amity Affliction have taken. Incorporating orchestral elements in the bridge and swapping out a pit-opening breakdown for a considered and well structured guitar solo is an encouraging of sign of what the rest of the album can hold.

All F*cked Up is possibly the best curveball Amity has ever released. Featuring an acoustic guitar, soft luscious Ahren Stringer vocals, and a hit straight to the feels, All F*cked Up is the sonic image of change from The Amity Affliction. Encompassing a mix of evocative self examination and meaningful songwriting, the soft track is a standout on the album.

Blood In My Mouth offers a new wave, electronic fused metalcore vibe that’s different to anything we’ve heard from Amity. However, the remainder of the album feels flat and lacks the energy of Amity’s trademark energetic and anthemic sound. While there are glimpses of melodic bliss and brutal breakdowns in tracks like Fight My Regret and O.M.G.I.M.Y., it feels as though ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’ is the B side to ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’.

“…the new tracks just don’t translate the fresh, exciting, and original vibe that’s needed to fall in love with an album.”

Comparing the band’s two latest albums, ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’ lacks the anthemic choruses of the likes of Pittsburgh and Don’t Lean On Me, doesn’t pack the massive emotional punch of tracks such as Give It All, and the eruptive bridges and breakdowns of F.M.L and Death’s Hand are sorely missed.

As much as we wanted to love ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’, as much as we loved Amity’s previous albums, the new tracks just don’t translate the fresh, exciting, and original vibe that’s needed to fall in love with an album.

Whilst the likes of I Bring The Weather With Me, All F*cked Up, and Blood In My Mouth are standouts, a majority of the album feels like the same songs we’ve heard before from Amity. However, come their national tour in support of the album, we’re sure they’ll still translate as well live as their great back catalogue.

The Amity Affliction ‘I Bring The Weather With Me’ National Tour
w/ Trophy Eyes

FRI 19 AUG
The Tivoli, Brisbane
SAT 20 AUG
The Tivoli, Brisbane
FRI 26 AUG
Metro Theatre, Sydney
SAT 27 AUG
Metro Theatre, Sydney
WED 31 AUG
170 Russell, Melbourne
FRI 2 SEP
170 Russell, Melbourne

Get Tickets HERE