Album Review: Senses Fail - Follow Your Bliss: The Best Of Senses Fail

It’s hard to believe that Senses Fail have been doing their thing for ten years. From a musical casting call over the internet to this, the best of Senses Fail; aptly titled "Follow Your Bliss", it’s been a long road, and they’ve lost a few members along the way, but it’s a road that’s been well traveled, and one you can see clearly on this compilation.

It would be an exaggeration to say that Senses Fail have defied the restrictions of genre, but going with the post-hardcore style they adopted, they tread a line between metal and melody which, unlike some of their contemporaries, comes across as more determined than depressing. They have a power that underlines the more melancholy aspects of the band, and, for instance, the dual-guitar solo on "Lungs Like Gallows" is as much of an Iron Maiden moment as you’re going to get in the genre.

As an anthology it’s quite profound how much this fits together as an album. That’s not to say the songs sound the same, because the difference in flavor is definitely noticeable as the tracks shift, but Senses Fail have been nothing if not consistent. Even the more punk-inspired "Buried A Lie" fits right in between the aforementioned "Lungs Like Gallows" and the heavy-as-fuck "Shark Attack" surprisingly snugly. The track especially really shows off the power of every instrument, from the pounding drums, the fist-inducing chug of the guitars, the rumbling consistency of the bass to frontman Buddy Nielsen’s malleable tone, one that brings more power on the heavier tracks than on all the others combined, and with good reason.

It’s hard not to point to "Rum Is For Drinking, Not For Burning" in a Senses Fail review however, and in many ways, the song steals the show, deserving its reputation as arguably Senses Fail’s best. Taking the best elements of post-hardcore and mixing them up thoroughly until gold comes out the other end, the track is musical alchemy at its best, and the same could be said, and well deserved, for this collection.

4/5

"Follow Your Bliss: The Best Of Senses Fail" is out now.

Edward Strickson