Scratch

I guess I'll join the review train by reviewing one of my personal favorite albums, Relationship of Command by At the Drive-In.

Information
Release date: September 12, 2000
Record label: Grand Royal
Genre: Post-hardcore
Producer: Ross Robinson

Introduction
While At the Drive-In weren't very big during their career, they have since been heralded as one of the most influential bands of the late 90's. While Acrobatic Tenement and In/Casino/Out were excellent, the band is most known for their third, and unfortunately last album Relationship of Command. It is the standard in which any post-hardcore album of the decade was measured by. It's my favorite album of the millennium, and pretty high on my all-time list too.

Instruments
You can tell that the musicians in At the Drive-In are very talented and proficient at what they do. The opening track, "Arcarsenal" starts out with instruments changing patterns, but everything stays on rhythm. There's all sorts of riffing and soloing going on later in the album as well. It all works perfectly with the vocal style. Speaking of which...

Vocals
The vocals of Cedric are most certainly not for everyone. I was initially turned off of them as well. But with a 2nd listen, I realized the beauty of it. There's lots of yelled vocals, and even in the more mellow parts it's very aggressive and even off putting to those who don't like that kind of style. But when listening to it with fresh ears, it all made sense. It works perfectly with the instruments, and it conveys a lot of emotion. I can't stress that enough; you really feel the sense of passion and emotion in his style and delivery. It's beautiful and once you get used to it, it really is a powerful tool to bring the album forward.

Songwriting
The songwriting brings up the word "emotion" yet again. I've already talked about this in the instrumental and vocal sections, but everything flows perfectly, and you can really feel the emotion in it. There is not one bad song on the album; heck there isn't even a song that doesn't fit with the album. Every song has it's purpose and each one is amazing.

Overall
Overall, this is a fantastic album. It's not for everyone, but if you like this style of music, it will be an unforgettable experience. While At the Drive-In had previous albums, two members would go on to form The Mars Volta, and another two would form Sparta, this is the best work that any of the members put out. It's great that this amazing band went on tour again, so we can appreciate the excellent music they've put out.

Rating
10/10.