Featured review by:
UG Team, on may 28, 2007
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: Amber Pacific was formed in 2002 by three high school friends. As most bands nowadays, these guys became famous due to a base of dedicated fans and Warped Tours, gaining more fame with their debut album than they even expected. Truth In Sincerity is their sophomore full-length, released on Hopeless records. Aiming to stay true to the fans, Amber Pacific didn’t change their sound, following the same direction as on their debut The Possibility And The Promise and even inviting the same producer. Instead the guys chose to expand as musicians, polishing their technical skills. Drummer Dango that has a music degree in University, is shooting out drums parts like a machine-gun and guitarist Will Nutter provides a few very fast guitar exercises, masked under solos. The guys are definitely full of energy and very enthusiastic about what they’re doing. You can almost feel that energy bursting out of their music.
The album starts with a piano intro with a thunder storm that has no connection with the rest of the album. There’s a similar piece with bells towards the end of the album, named We Think We Are Hardcore ‘cause Well, We Are. These two sound quite out of place here.
The album is very intense and the band avoids peaceful ballads in the sake of faster tracks. Galloping rhythms of Runaway makes the song very literal. Truth In Sincerity was written by Will Nutter for less than a month and that is probably the reason the most songs follow the same scenario and emotions. The production by Martin Feveyear is pretty solid, but it doesn’t save the record. Everything is state and most songs are at the same level. // 6
Lyrics and Singing: Amber Pacific has some obvious things to tell you like “Your life's worth living” -- as if you don’t know it or “I’ll give a life for you,” heard in every second teenage band. The poetry will surely be liked by younger ones as there is a full set of things that bother any teenager -- love, life choices and of course relationship.
Matt Young is a mediocre vocalist. He’s crooning about “I want to be your only one” in a voice that would better fit some emo band. Not that it’s weak, but higher notes sound too strained. Runaway feature a guest vocalist Mike Herrera from MxPx. Funny how the guys’ voices are almost identical. Among the “excitements” is Living Proof with Viking-like “hey!” and “hoy!” back vocals borrowed from some metal band. // 5
Impression: It seems pop punk genre would never die. No matter how many average bands there are and how primitive they sound, the genre still inspires new acts to get into it. Though it works mostly with juniors that give up trying soon after finishing high school.
Amber Pacific is another mediocre act that doesn’t change the situation. You’ll find the album interesting if you’re into the genre, but don’t expect anything memorable or exciting. The guys are certainly good technical musicians and know how to play guitars and drums fast, but most songs sound like an exam in a music school -- hasty and not very interesting. Like the majority of pop punk songs, tracks from Truth In Sincerity are hard to differ one from another. // 6
- Kosh (c) 2009
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