The sting of being relatively overlooked with their last album "This Darkened Heart" appears to have had some lasting effects on All That Remains. The pedigree of the band is long-storied and while the strength of "This Darkened Heart" should have put them in the same sentence as Shadows Fall and Lamb Of God, unfortunately, it didn't.

Now regrouping with a slight line-up shift and enlisting the services of Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage fame to produce, "The Fall Of Ideals" is very much a realignment of the groups strengths and weaknesses. Whether or not the proper balance has been struck is still very much up to debate however.

While the core of a thrash/death metal hybrid remains the bands chief component, this time out, more than a few pages from the Killswitch Engage playbook have been directly lifted. So much so in fact, that a number of the songs sound more like build-up's to the syrupy clean melodic parts that spring up like clockwork in each track. Think of the shift Caliban made not too long ago and you'll get the right idea.

So, while the band have definitely evolved as both musicians and songwriters, there is still a tendency to play much of "The Fall Of Ideals" very close to the numbers, especially during the first half of the record. This leaves the latter halves heavier tracks to feel somewhat forced in comparison. Still, this isn't to say the band have become a modern-day Warrant or the like.

There are innumerable face melting Euro-styled solos (ex-Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers was involved in the guitar production), punishing double-kick powered drumming and even grueling blast beat aided breakdowns. To be sure, this is some of the tightest musicianship a metal band can offer.

It's just that as resolutely played as the songs are, one can't help but feel the band have tried to jump the proverbial shark here. Whether or not that shark was Jaws or Jabberjaw, will have to be decided by the teeth marks left in their collective asses after this albums touring cycle ends.