Reviewed by Ben Lilford

Maybe it's because of the amount of sunlight people receive in the Scandinavian Peninsula that makes the region such a hotbed for heavy rock and black metal, because here comes another outstanding band for the genre. Formed in 2001, Meadow have been steadily crafting their sound through their live gigs around Europe, releasing two EPs along the way. 'We All Collapse' is their first album and it's solid stuff. The tracks are concise three to four minute emo numbers which get to the point and then shut down, without a glory-seeking three minute guitar solo in sight. The album keeps the same feel and texture throughout its 13 tracks which will definitely help their efforts Stateside á la Audioslave, though the average British listener may find themselves yearning for a wider choice of sound. There are no songs that immediately hit you as singles, but the vibe of 'We All Collapse' is so strong you don't really mind as you find yourself nodding along with the whole album. Give these tracks time though and their own characters are steadily revealed. From the driving riffs of "God Bless" through the screamo call and response of "Without Me" to the straight vocal stylings of "Stay", Andreas Ericsson's guitar work giving each track a real life and vibrancy. Meadow may never breakout of the rock chart to cross over into the mainstream, but having music this good that talks about Christ easily makes them a better Swedish export than Roxette ever were.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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