Evergreen Terrace – Almost Home – Review

Release Date: September 29th, 2009
Record Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Melodic Hardcore

I can really respect a band that grew up watching tons of movies/television, and who chooses to reference shows and movies in their songs. Evergreen Terrace has gone so far as naming their band after the obvious street in The Simpsons, and even naming several songs like “I Say You He Dead” and “God Rocky, is This Your Face?” from episodes of Family Guy. The list goes on — even into their latest full-length “Almost Home,” which is the bands second record on Metal Blade Records. And while I had caught wind of Evergreen Terrace before their MB debut “Wolfbiker,”  it wasn’t until that album that a cemented and usable sound for the band was created. The home-sickness of “Almost Home” is almost sure to continue that.

If you clicked on “Read More” expecting to be disappointed, have no fear you won’t be. “Almost Home” and every bit of its melodic hardcore is as edible and addictive as mom’s traditional apple pie. In that way, the breaded crust is like Evergreen Terrace‘s tried and true hardcore, that chugs and pummels its way through your ears. On the other side, the sweet apple insides are like the bands melodic guitars and singing vocals that add another dimension to “Almost Home” — that simple hardcore just can’t stand up to. I would say that ET sounds something like Walls of Jericho, Comeback Kid, or Stick To Your Guns, but that would be short changing Evergreen Terrace, which plainly has much more personality then the rest.

I mean you just can’t get mad at a band who create themes and write lyrics for records that come from anything from The Big Lewbowski, Grandma’s Boy, and Big Daddy. Maybe it’s just the immaturity but when I hear the sound bite “God Rocky, is This Your Face?” at the beginning of the track of the same name, I just can’t help but smile and keep listening. Truthfully though, what makes “Almost Home” special, is the albums recurring theme of home-sickness and missing what they have at home while on tour. It is nice to see a melodic hardcore band be able to not have the emotional hide of a rhino and share their growing fears and thoughts with their listeners.

After hearing “Almost Home,” it’s pretty easy to conclude that Evergreen Terrace has surpassed “Wolfbiker” with this record. Continuing the well-balanced attack of surly hardcore and agile melody, ET has broken away from the familiar pack and forged on with an addictive and well-produced album. ~Staff

Score: 4/5

Track Listing:
1. Enemy Sex
2. Almost Home
3. God Rocky, Is This Your Face?
4. We’re Always Losing Blood
5. Sending Signals
6. Mario Speedwagon
7. Failure to Operate
8. Hopelessly Hopeless
9. The Letdown
10. I’m a Bulletproof Tiger
11. Not Good Enough