Coming out of the fertile metal ground of Germany, Any Given Day has released one of the best metalcore albums of the year. Yes, My Longest Way Home can and should be mentioned in the same breath as the latest from Architects, The Amity Affliction, and I Killed the Prom Queen. This album is quite the pleasant surprise. Any Given Day plays out like some sort of an alternate sci-fi universe, one where Killswitch Engage was founded after the djent movement blossomed. Interestingly enough, the band’s vocalist Dennis Diehl has a set of pipes that would rival Howard Jones and Jesse Leach. What is truly odd about this debut is how sure-footed the band already seems to be. The vocal and guitar melodies are fantastic, while the groove is there laying in the weeds. It’s like being peacefully head-banging yourself to sleep, only to be punched in the face by Rhonda Rousey. That’s not to say My Longest Way Home is in any way a pop album, but Dennis’ excellently written melodies sound like they’re coming from a man; they aren’t whiney or auto-tuned, thankfully. That said, coming up with highlights is a bit of a challenge. While the album is fairly diverse (especially given the genre), consistency is not something Any Given Day needs to work on. The band is able to make its token ballads musically interesting, even if “Dead Forever” could have been killed on the production floor. The band clearly knows to how to go full-throttle, as “My Own Sweet Hell” is a definite album highlight. It comes across like a mix between As I Lay Dying and Volumes, in the best way possible. However, the other eight songs are all impressive, continuing on with their new-school-meets-old-school experiment. Of course, this debut will not sway those who are and have been averse to metalcore. If you hate Bury Tomorrow and Northlane, Any Given Day isn’t going to be a revelation. These Germans are merely preaching to the choir, albeit with some pretty impressive anthems. Consider me among the new members of the band’s vocal ensemble, happily singing and screaming along. (Nicholas Senior)
