| When you have to replace the lead singer of a band, you might as well have started a new band. Such is the case with Decyfer Down and their new album, Crash. Caleb Oliver, the bands former lead singer, had to leave the band for undisclosed personal reasons. Enter TJ Harris, former lead singer of the recently disbanded Fighting Instinct. Musically, DD is pretty much the same. But with a completely different voice at the helm, DD is a very different band.Crash, the first single and title track for the album comes first, and is a reminder of who Decyfer Down is and that they haven’t lost their edge. Its a solid opening track and ushers you into the rest of the album very well. Fading, the third track and second single off the album is my favorite track on the album. It just flat out rocks. The lyrics are powerful and the musical arrangement makes it that much better. Also noteworthy on the album is the driving anthem Ride With Me, which showcases Harris’ soaring vocals on the chorus.
The rest of the album is pretty good as well, just not as memorable as Fading, Ride and Crash. Decyfer Down showcases the sound that made them so popular on End of Grey, heavy guitars, great riffs, and strong lyrics. TJ Harris is a solid replacement for Caleb Oliver and look forward to seeing DD grow in their next release. I think that was the thing that was missing most from the album for me, a sense of musical growth. In all honesty, people want something different from a band every new release. Thats not really what I am looking for. I wanted to hear a natural progression to their next level. Now, with some stability at lead vocals, Decyfer Down has a chance to do that with each successive release. For now, expect the same DD, with a different vocal sound.
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