CD review: Brand New – The Devil and God are raging inside me

By James Speirs

I was once a Brand New fan. This album didn’t put me off the band but it certainly didn’t revive any Grade 9 emo memories. I found it difficult to listen to this album from start to finish, and caught myself skipping songs before they were over. It’s similar to previous albums but to their credit it has progressed from their Deja Entendu days. The tracks have a melodic thread throughout, with a mix of heavy vs. delicate. Brand New’s harder songs (hence the rage) are definitely the focal point and actually rather good. Their soft tracks come a sad second. They seem to play a complementary role, building you up for the heavier riffs while songs like “Untitled” serve no purpose whatsoever. The contrast is similar to that of the current My Chemical Romance album The Black Parade, but the pace and tone of the two bands differs vastly. I wouldn’t spend my hard earned Rands on this one.