Normally, I don’t get too excited about an album after reading quotes from the band.  Musicians usually state that they’ve “matured”, or that they are “branching out” on a new record, but it is rarely evident when you give it a listen.  Obviously a band wants to get you excited about what they’re creating, but a lot of the time their statements are just littered with filler adjectives. 

There is no real reason why I believed the boys from Parkway Drive when they said that Deep Blue was going to set them apart from their metalcore brethren, but saying that I was excited about this record would be an understatement.  Unfortunately, I should have stuck with my general thought about press releases, because this record is far from innovative, and there is nothing that sets it apart from the pack.  Sure, the production is top-notch, but the music itself is simply above-average metalcore.

The first single “Sleepwalker” is one of the better tracks on the album.  The main riff is actually quite catchy and the stop-start rhythms added nice touches.  That being said, the song does start getting a bit repetitive towards the end.

The song “Deadweight” seems to be ripped directly out of Darkest Hour’s book.  Seriously. Go listen to any DH song, and you will see what I’m talking about.  This could either be a good or bad thing, depending on your stance on metal.  Comparisons aside, the song is plenty fast, and features some pretty “brutal” breakdowns.

The next song, “Alone” is my favorite track on the record.  The band goes more melodic on this track, and they do it right.  This is one of the few tracks that they seemed to focus on songwriting and structure instead of just trying to be the fastest and heaviest band out there.

The final track “Set to Destroy” is easily the fastest and most aggressive track on the record.  Clocked at only 1:34, it’s simply a quick punch in the mouth.  It seemed they wanted to go out on a bang, and they definitely accomplished that. 

If you are looking for intelligent metal, you are looking at the wrong band, and quite possibly the wrong sub-genre.  Deep Blue does not put a fresh perspective on metalcore, nor do they branch out from their earlier sound.  If you are simply looking for a record that will destroy your car’s speakers, then this will fulfill your urge.  If you are looking for a care-free summer album, Deep Blue is perfect, but don’t ask for much else, because you will be disappointed.