iwrestledabearonce - It's All Happening [2009]

Genre - Mathcore/Experimental/Female Fronted
Label: Century Media
URL - http://www.myspace.com/iwrestledabearonce
Country - Lousiana, USA


The anticipated debut full-length aswell as label debut from iwrestledabearonce is finally here! After weeks, even months, listening to their Myspace-previews and waiting for the album to come, it's finally released.

Once added in my iTunes library, I overexcitedly press Play on the first track, You Ain't No Family, and all I can say is that I'm mindblown. I fall in love with the song during the first few seconds, and hearing Krysta's beautiful screaming is the frosting on the cake. BUT. THEN. COMES. THE. CLEAN. VOCALS. After all I've seen about people not wanting her to sing clean because of it being out of tune and an incredible waste of song-space, it disappoints me that there's still a lot of the clean vocals that, in both my opinion and many others, ruins the band. If they were to remove the clean vocals the band would be so much better, and I totally agree. However, the clean vocals make the band stand out of the crowd and not being one in the masses. I think I can stand the clean vocals a bit, but putting it in every song on the album pushes the wrong buttons.

One song after the other they continue to spread the joy that they've released their new album, and once you get down to the first single they put up on their Myspace, Tastes Like Kevin Bacon, you get what IWABO is all about. A pretty ironic song title, the sweeping, the kickass breakdowns, and of course, the jazzy intermissions with clean vocals. But once the jazz is over, a humorous old-fashioned car horn plays and there continues the grind.
I can't help but notice the song The Cat's Pajamas' soft sound which actually makes Krystas clean vocals pretty enjoyable. IWABO is mostly known for their chaotic grindbeats, but this song among the other soft song, Black-Eyed Bush, on It's All Happening slow you down and show you the width of their musical skill. Not only do they offer us mindnumbing breakdowns, but they also show us that they aren't that monotone, and that they can also play beautiful, soft songs.


It's All Happening leaves nothing to wish for (except less clean vocals). Chances are that this album may be in the top of 2009's releases.




Best track: Tastes Like Kevin Bacon
Score: 7/10.