Search - Memphis May Fire :: Memphis May Fire

Tanner D. (TD)
Reviewed on 2/23/2009...

Post-hardcore quintet Memphis May Fire strike a good combination of soaring riffs, piercing screams, and memorable melodies on their self-titled EP. Don't be fooled by their pseudo-intelligble track names a la Chiodos and Fall Out Boy; these guys are for real. The clever "Cowbell's Makin'a Comeback" finds a nice blend of singing and screaming with choruses that beg your attention. As the CD goes on, the screaming becomes more persistent, which, in retrospect, isn't bad, but it may turn off listeners who are looking more for the post than the hardcore. The fan favorite "History of Mercia" brings the listener back to familar "Cowbell" territory with chunked blends of singing/screaming as well as a chorus you can't help but to hum too. "Conjunctions, Conjunctions, Everybody Loves Them ends the disc on a harder note, reminding the listener that MMF can break-down at will - if they want to. Think Chiodos' "All's Well That End Well, only with a lead singer who utilizes and harnesses his singing more efficiently. Conclusively, this EP leaves a sense of accomplishment; that, for five tracks, they left it all on the table.