Band : Arsonists Get All The Girls
Album title : Portals
Label : Bastardized (Europe) Century Media (rest of world)
Distributor : Suburban
Release date : 14/08/2009
Release : CD

For a lesson on this band’s history, check out the review (posted 19/08/2009) I did for their sophomore 2007 album The Game Of Life. Since then, several changes occurred in the line-up…like Cameron Reed is now the sole lead singer, Remi Rodburg (vocals/keyboards) is out and (after a couple of interims) replaced by keyboardist Sean Richmond, guitarist Arthur Alvarez has seen his twin guitar attack partner Nick Cardinelli exchanged for Derek Yarra, and bassist Pat Mason (whom died tragically from alcohol poisoning on November 30, 2007 – the day following his 21st birthday) was replaced by Jaeson Bardoni.

Beyond the line-up changes (at that time – read on!!!), and to promote The Game Of Life, AGATG did US live dates with Dear Life in August ’07, following that up with a tour with The Tony Danza Dance Extravaganza and Veil Of Maya for shows throughout October. Late November came, and to help out in the funeral costs the band did a memorial show at Santa Cruz’ 418 venue, aided in their benefit effort by Animosity, Elysia and Knights Of The Abyss (the latter two they’d toured with earlier that year in May). January 2008 saw the re-introduction of guitarist Derek Yarra in their ranks, as well as new bassist Adam Swan…and the re-issue of the band’s debut album Hits From The Bow (with new artwork) through Century Media. In February they started a tour with For The Fallen Dreams, My Bride, My Children, and Stray The Path, and the ensuing Super Massive Fist US tour (which lasted into May), saw the band sharing stages with DeadToFall, ImpendingDoom and SeaOfTreachery.

After that, there’s a gap in my info sources, but I dó know that right after finishing his contributions to the new album in February of this year, Reed put it in his head that he just wasn’t doin’ enough for God, and so he quit just prior to the band’s Mexican tour! Yarra stepped in on vocal duties, and apparently did a nice job. Then Richmond proposed his former bandmate Jared Monette, whom wrote lyrics and had sent a rough vocal track of one of the songs within 3 days of being contacted. As a result, he was rushed into the studio to re-record the vocal parts! During April & May 2009, AGATG were on the Thrash And Burn European Tour 2009, which also included (among others) Bleeding Through and Darkest Hour. AGATG also did an extensive Russian tour, playing in places where no other “Western” bands had ever been (even, so the bio mentions, almost getting mugged at a certain moment)

So now the album’s there (in the US already a month earlier than in Europe), and the guys have proven that, beyond a doubt, their music IS commercially exploitable! For those just “plugging in” now, AGATG play a brutal yet melodic Deathcore, or, in more specific terms, a mixture of Hardcore and Metalcore with elements of Heavy Metal (the melodic factor) and Grindcore (the “grinding” factor). Obviously, the singer is of a kind willing to scream out his guts and occasionally walk around with a severe headache after gigs! But the whole, embellished with keyboards, is simply delectable.

You can check it out at myspace.com/agatg, where you’ll find songs off each of the band’s 3 albums! Personally, I don’t need no convincing anymore. I was already overwhelmed by their previous album, and this one is certainly just as good…meaning the band’s Portals is nominated into my year-lists!

98/100

Tony.