Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
Artist Info:Discography Album length: 10 tracks Street Date: October 25, 2005
A lot of people don’t know that Spencer Chamberlin hasn’t always provided the screams you hear on
your latest Underoath album. Nay, in the pre-Chamberlin days, there was a man named Dallas Taylor, and
that man had a very devote following. Diehard fans of older Underoath, like The Changing Times,
Cries of the Past, and Act of Depression, have anticipated the return of their fearless
hero. Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster marks the return of Dallas Taylor. And the wait is finally
over.
The album takes no time building momentum. In fact, it begins with a musical explosion. Taylor’s
raspy scream is filled in with a "southern-core" style guitar riff before a bit of a pause, and then
Taylor again with a "yeah" that, with Alabama pride, takes two syllables to pronounce. It sets the tone
for the entire record. There’s a Lynard Skynard vibe throughout the entire thirty-five minute run time,
but it’s infused with a 2005 hardcore sensibility that makes it hard to resist if you are a fan of
either style. And even if you aren’t, you may find a lot to like about Maylene.
Lyrically, the band stays true to the southern "rebel" attitude, and most of the lyrics reflect that
view. They don’t shy from spiritual topics either. "The Road Home to Panther Creek" talks about a person
prone to identifying their spiritual life by the mood they happen to be in, "If the blinders were
gone, would you feel Jesus? You’ve seen miracles, I know you. Faith comes like waves… And the joy is all
material real as you want to believe… Salvation, just an emotion like the one you’re riding now… Love is
never easy. Not attractive to the weak."
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster is one of the best acts to come around this year. Dallas Taylor
fans will not be disappointed about what he’s been working on with his free time since Underoath.
Definitely the cream of the crop, "southern-core" has not been done this well in quite a while.
- Review date: 10/23/05, written by Josh Taylor
Record Label: Mono Vs Stereo
Album length: 10 tracks
Street Date: October 25, 2005
Record Label: Mono Vs Stereo
