On their sophomore opus for Solid State, Indiana's Haste The Day have focused primarily on their strengths and it shows. Recording the effort with producer GGGarth Richardson (Chevelle, Mudvayne), the band have thrown on the polish and ironed out their wrinkles for a mature effort that finds them delivering a rapid-fire kinetic assault.

While the heavier side of the bands material still recalls shades of Zao, the aggression on display now seems far more focused an concise. The riffing is abrasive and stringent with subtle European nods and the vocals are barked in an enraged psychosis overtop of an extremely tight rhythm section. However, if there is one element "When Everything Falls" seems to highlight, it would be the melodic aspects of the band.

The foundation of the entire album is arguably the considerable interplay between the heavier and softer sides of the group and their attempts to strike a solid balance between them. Tonal similarities to Atreyu are still bared in the cleanly sung vocals, and while their dynamic contrast is a nice touch, their use of excessive structuring and cascading melodies does tend to come off as a bit sappy.

Perhaps that is the main problem with this release. The band continually strive to keep up a rather energetic pace and never really seem to commit themselves to a distinct part. In turn, the resulting mixture of grating riffs and bestial growls with lighter rock and layered melodies borders on being methodical. Without any unexpected twists and turns or depth explored, it all just feels a bit too deliberate and is unable to convey the emotion in a direct manner.

That said, "When Everything Falls" is still an enjoyable release that is sure to appeal to diehard fans and bring onboard many newcomers as well. The musicianship is accomplished and the synergy of the paired vocal melodies is quite impressive. It's just that as a whole it tends to feel a bit too fixated on momentum and refined song structures, that while catchy and well thought-out, lack the intensity and emotional impact of the groups previous works.