[WisdomListens]

Compared to the previous album, Appeal To Reason, Endgame doesn't sound as clean. And if they did intentionally make it sound lo-fi then I don't think that was a good decision. Anyone else think so? Maybe my flac files are screwy.

 
 
 

 

[Magedark]

Well to me it sounded far different than their previous ventures, but whether it sounds as clean, I'll run through right now and get back to you. Nevertheless, Endgame was rather disappointing to me.
 
I think it's your files.

 

[WisdomListens]

Alright I'll get some different flac files. What do you think about the actual album?

 

[Magedark]

I thought it was ok. Some of their guitar work stood out and were pretty fun, like in Architects and This Is Letting Go. But overall, it seems like the band is heading more towards an almost pop sound. It isn't as gritty as Siren Song, or Sufferers and the Witness, and there seems to be less of a political message in their songs, which is what they were. 
 
It was ok, I really think it could have been better. Highlights were Architect and This Is Letting Go.

 

[WisdomListens]

Hmm nvm it is not a bad recording. My triplefi 10's just made it muddy. Sounds very different with Westone 4's. The album is starting to grow on me too.

 

[Thursday]

I'm not hearing any bad recording, but then again I'm not listening to FLACs.

 
Quote:

I thought it was ok. Some of their guitar work stood out and were pretty fun, like in Architects and This Is Letting Go. But overall, it seems like the band is heading more towards an almost pop sound. It isn't as gritty as Siren Song, or Sufferers and the Witness, and there seems to be less of a political message in their songs, which is what they were. 
 
It was ok, I really think it could have been better. Highlights were Architect and This Is Letting Go.

 
As for the album itself... Endgame didn't have the sort of immediate appeal that grabbed me the way Appeal to Reason did. While Appeal was a sort of "fun," politically-charged and clean/smooth/refined-sounding album, it didn't really explode my head. Endgame sounds like more of a return to RA's roots than anything else, with a greater focus on riffing and instrumentals rather than breaking vocal barriers. I put it somewhere between Siren Song and Sufferer/Witness, definitely a turnaround from Appeal. My favorite song is "This Is Letting Go", with "Satellite," "Architects," and "Broken Mirrors" being the runner-ups.
 
Endgame is damn good, but Sufferer/Witness will forever be a tough act to follow.