Taking Dawn - Time to Burn Review
Posted by Aaron Mayagoitia on 01.31.2010
What do you get when you mix a Trivium with more Mötley Crüe than Metallica influences and Bullet for My Valentine-type angst? The result isn’t as bad as it may seem, but it sure isn’t as awesome as it could’ve been. Check the full review to get the details about such a mix, or as you could also call it, the debut album of Las Vegas’ own Taking Dawn.
Born to rock
After checking out the band’s bio, you can tell Chris Babbitt (vocals/guitar), Mikey Cross (guitar), Andrew Cushing (bass) and Alan Doucette (drums) were born to rock; all of the band members hail from the sin-laden city of Las Vegas; both Babbitt and Cross worked as security at the Hard Rock Hotel; Babbitt’s hippie father played Black Sabbath while he vacuumed his son’s crib. Not only was Taking Dawn born out of the need to heed rock’s call, but also to remind the world that Las Vegas can produce gritty rock and not just pompous poof such as The Killers and Panic! At the Disco. That being said, you’d probably expect Taking Dawn to deliver a chunk of binged-out hard rock that will get the authorities closing down their shows, but in the end, Time to Burn ends up as an enjoyable rock album that’s only slightly dangerous.
Old-school partying and new-school angst
Time to Burn has moments where the band rocks out as if they were seasoned Sunset Strip warriors, which is what you’d expect after knowing the band’s influences and brief history. But those moments are overshadowed by teenage angst-laden numbers that make you feel you’re listening to two different bands on the same album. What keeps the whole thing somewhat together is the ever-present metal element: shredding guitars, big riffs, high-pitched vocals and double bass-drum accents. To make matters even more confusing, the band covers Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”. Clearly, Taking Dawn draws from diverse influences and, like any band with only one album under its belt, those influences are still finding their proper place within the band’s songwriting capabilities.
A savvy use of resources
Making up for the band’s uneven song delivery, instrumental prowess and melody come along as the album’s strongest points. The Babbitt/Cross guitar combo never loses its flare and flash, not to mention the earth-rattling Cushing/Doucette rhythm combo. Hooks, powerful riffs and catchy choruses are all over the album, which helps even the weakest songs on the album have their shining moments. In a nutshell, Taking Dawn’s approach sounds like Trivium’s melodic take on metal but with Mötley Crüe as the main inspiration instead of Metallica; add to that Bullet for My Valentine’s lyrical leaning for tormented teenage relationships and their constant use of punkish choruses, and there you have it. When Taking Dawn shines most is when they embrace their rocking, rebellious side and shun their more whiny teenage side.
The good, the bad and the highlights:
The good are the more rock-oriented songs on the album. Songs such as “Take Me Away”, “So Loud” and “Fight ‘Em with Your Rock” boast killer riffs, hooks, solos and choruses, not to mention unabashed attitude and energy. If it had been comprised of more songs like these, it easily would’ve been an excellent and recommendable album. Let’s hope the band’s next offering goes in this awesome direction.
The bad are the other more angst-ridden numbers; they just don’t go well with songs about playing as loud as you can and selling your soul to rock ‘n’ roll. Song “Endlessly” is the only one that stands out among the breakup and heartache tunes. The band’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” is pretty weak and could’ve easily been left out. If the band holds on to this direction, it’ll end up being just another emo-metal act.
The highlights are:
Take Me Away: It is just one of those hook-stuffed rock songs that’ll take weeks before you can get it out of your head. It’s the type of song you want to blast through your speakers and sing along to. This is excellent stuff.
Fight ‘Em with Your Rock: The most fast-paced rocker of the bunch. Like the title says, this song is all about sticking it to the man with the power of rock ‘n’ roll. Prepare yourself for intense shredding, because the guitars here are scorching hot.
Endlessly: This song is all about crying your heart out because your girl left you and you are pathetically feeling sorry for yourself, but with its irresistible hook there’s nothing you can do but submit to it.
Halle-f*cking-lujah!
Here’s “Time to Burn”, the album’s first single:
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
Taking Dawn has a long way to go before its sound turns into something refined and focused. The band’s diverse influences could be deterring them from focusing on their strengths, but that is just something normal all bands go through; not getting lost in one’s own influences is the key to longevity though. There are two sides to Taking Dawn on Time to Burn: the heavy rocking firecrackers from Las Vegas and the moping teenagers who just lost their girlfriends. The rock side sounds more natural and akin to the band’s strengths and origins, while the other side sounds generic and uninspired. If you like metal and/or rock, you’ll find Taking Dawn a cool band with some killer songs and a refreshing sense of humor, not to mention that they can play the hell out of their instruments.
The 411: Time to Burn is an uneven hard rock/metal album that displays a talented band eager to make it big. The album’s weakness lies in the band’s still undefined personality: are they party-ready rockers or sensitive metal aficionados from the aughties? Only if you are a fan of both of these currents will you find Time to Burn an excellent album, otherwise, you will be disappointed.
