My Ransomed Soul

Music has always been a great outlet for artists to voice their opinions or stand for something they believe in. Needless to say, there’s no gap between what the Baltimore, MD based metalcore quartet My Ransomed Soul has on their mind and what’s written within their lyrics in their third LP release Trilateral, which releases February 24.

As quoted by vocalist Brendan Frey in a previous press release, his aim was to get listeners to think in regards to what’s written within his lyrics, and also question what they know. Frey’s goals shine through within the second track, “Mockingbird,” with lyrics such as “Don’t believe all that you hear/ Another story to make you live in fear/ Don’t believe all that you hear/ You must question all that you hold dear.”

Following up on the notion of questioning the norm, Frey brings more political meaning to the surface within the proceeding track “Revolt.” On a pure melodic standpoint, “Revolt” has some great structure within it, making it a catchy song to return to on Trilateral. The aggressive nature of guitar chugs is complimented well with aggressive lyrics such as “You speak of liberty/ Yet dismantle our dreams/ Is this what you call democracy?”

Though My Ransomed Soul went heavy on the questioning of political policy within several tracks of the album, that’s not all that can be found within the ten track duration of Trilateral. Other themes such as the struggle of addiction and overcoming internal obstacles can be found in tracks such as “Rehab” and “Inundate,” respectfully. Religious themes are heavily prevalent within the closing track “Revive,” making it a great track to end on for a reflective standpoint.

The four members of My Ransomed Soul do a great job of having synergy with each other within the ten tracks of Trilateral. The themes prevalent on the album, in addition to the aggressive melodies and lyrics, complement each other very well, producing a sound that motivates a change of thought to the listeners. - Substream Magazine

Band: My Ransomed Soul
Album: Trilateral
Label: Unsigned
Release: 2.24.15
Reviewer: Brody B
Tracklisting:

Rise
Mockingbird
Revolt
Rehab
Monarch
Trilateral
Apparitions
Reflections
Inundate
Revive

My Ransomed Soul is a band I have grown up with. Not just listening to the band, but literally growing up with the members of the band. You see, My Ransomed Soul is a metalcore outfit based out of the Northern Maryland area and being from Southern Pennsylvania myself, I have seen the band countless times over the years. As I have grown up and refined my taste of music more over the years, the band has also refined their sound and come into a sound of their own.

I remember seeing My Ransomed Soul play in Baltimore after not seeing them for several years, thinking they had disbanded. However, that was not the case, as the band had just released their first full length, The Chains That Bind Us. MRS put on a good show, as they had seemed to beef up their sound a bit since seeing them last. Regretfully, the group fell off my radar once again after that show.

Now, three years later, My Ransomed Soul has unleashed their third full length album, Trilateral. This album shows immense growth from the group, along with an unharnessed potential for continued growth. In short, this is the album that won’t let me forget about My Ransomed Soul anytime soon.

After the brief intro, “Rise”, the album opener “Mockingbird” boldly storms the gates with technical riffage, meaty drums, and confrontational lyrics. Guitarists find the perfect balance of melody and a brutal barrage of chugging, which adds a fullness to the sound. Freddy Menjivar shows some serious chops behind the drum kit as well with wickedly pummeling beats. Vocalist Brendan Frey makes his presence known on Mockingbird, as he fervently howls lines like,

“Obey, fall in line / Become a product of the corporate mind / Submit, always comply / Become content with being blind / They will teach you not to question / They will teach you not to feel / They will force their discretion”.

“Rehab” is sure to be a fan favorite in both live and recorded settings as it is brimming with unbridled energy. The track has more melodic tendencies than some of it’s counterparts on the album, yet My Ransomed Soul never succumb to the trendy trap of throwing in clean vocals. Instead, the group leans heavily on the guitarists to lay down an intricate foundation of leads to create a soundscape of soaring proportions.

The group’s lead single off Trilateral is the track, “Monarch”. Initially, the single caused quite a stir in the music scene as the band blatantly opposes the oppression of governmental systems. With a message so bold, the band had quite a task to create a soundtrack to revolt, which they accomplish with ease. Slick riffs and dive bombs lay the foundation for the guitar section, while frantic and forceful drums create the beat to this revolution. Frey adds the icing to the cake as he bellows lines like, “This is brainwashing at its finest” and “When did love become an institution?” in his signature register.

“Apparitions” is my personal favorite offering from Trilateral. This jam carries melodic undertones throughout the whole track, which give it a different tone from the sheer brutality of it’s predecessor, “Monarch”. The pleasantly surprising guitar solo found in the last third of “Reflections” is also an incredible touch of melody in an otherwise devastatingly brutal album.

“Revive” is a stellar closer to the great album. The conclusion of the album finds each member firing on all cylinders. The track finds Frey conversing with God, asking, “If You are real, and You are here, What is left for me to fear?”. The highlight of the track comes in the last few seconds, in the form of a raucous riff with southern flare that ends all too soon.

Overall: My Ransomed Soul are a group I have seen grow up and, in a sense, grown up with. These Maryland natives have unleashed one heck of a record with Trilateral, which is sure to keep them on my radar and get them onto the radar of any fan of metalcore. While I believe the group still has some maturing to do, the potential is there for them to emerge as something huge in due time with a sound that is truly unique and their own.


RIYL: For Today | Texas in July | Nothing Til Blood | Darkness Divided | I the Breather

My Ransomed Soul - Trilateral, 4.3 out of 5 based on 4 ratings - Indie Vision Music

My Ransomed Soul’s Trilateral is an excellent example of a rapidly growing Christian Metalcore scene. This band should have a huge 2015 based upon this release. This record shows the perfect blend of religious and political imagery.

Monarch is the first single. You can hear the frustration coming through the vocals and instruments. This song questions freedom in the United States and whether or not we are being manipulated by the media and government? The music video encompasses the lyrical themes. This song sets the tone and leaves you wanting more. Mockingbird stands out because of it’s raw energy and lyrics. It has George H.W. Bush’s speech on the New World Order. Questioning everything you read and hear is this song’s theme. The record is broken into two parts the political and religious songs. Reflections brings a different sound to this record. This is one of the heavier songs.The solo adds depth and technicality. The lyrics talk about calling out God through life’s hardships. Revive finishes this record on solid ground by summing up the religious and political imagery. The introduction has Pop Punk sound and vocals stand out because of their intensity. Aaron Gillespie talked about how good music is supposed to feel like it’s written for you. This record has done that for me and will for you, as well. If you are looking for an out of the box Metalcore band then look no further. Their intensity, range, and raw sound that will inspire you.

The instrumentation is well done. This record has technicality that stands out amongst other bands in this genre. The guitar solos are excellent. The bass and drumming compliment both guitars in a profound way. The screaming vocals have great range and complexity. The lyrics are thought provoking and honest. They make you want to grow your faith and question propaganda from government and media.

My favorite song is Revive. I enjoyed the lyrical content because it helped me realize God restores the various broken pieces of my life. I would rate this record a 4.25 out of 5. This is based upon originality, instrumentation, vocals, and lyrical content.

You can pre order Trilateral at Bandcamp. Make sure to see them when they come to your town. They put on a show you will regret missing. - Anchor Music News

In this week’s Album of the Week poll, which saw nearly 70,000 votes cast, you, the fans, voted My Ransomed Soul to the top spot, for their album, Falsehoods. Check out the top five vote-getters below: - Revolver Magazine

Red Cord Records announced earlier today that maryland natives, My Ransomed Soul, joined their family. The official announcement can be read here. The band will enter the studio to record a new album to be released on the label this winter. Until then, you can download their new CD for free here.
- Indie Vision Music

If you know anything about the history of My Ransomed Soul, you know that they’re a bit of a tease. They’ve given us a couple of new songs a year, which come to us in the form of EPs. However, now with a solid lineup, they’ve broken this cycle of teasing and delivered us their debut full length, The Chains That Bind Us.

The album opens up on “Conflict”, a track that sounds like it was taken from MyChildren MyBride, For Today, etc. The buildup to “Conflict”’s opening breakdown sets the listener up for something that could only be described as progressive. Progression is one beautiful thing that this album is drowning in. Listen closing to literally everything from vocals, lyrics and musicianship and you can hear this progression clearly. “A Modern Plague” captures this growth as a band, better than anyone other track on the album. The guitar work on “Desensitize” and “The Chains That Bind Us” really show off the skills of these guitarists. Hard to believe these guitarists are under 25. While most of this album is hardcore, the guitarist do get to show off their softer sides on “The Message”. This adds to not only the progression of the band, but the diversity of their writing as well.

One thing that really shines about this record are the vocals. My Ransomed Soul definitely experimented with them in Chains. However, it works on numerous amounts of levels. “Resolution” holds a spoken word peace. Which is something that this band has never done before. This is not the last time we hear spoken word in this album. It is delivered to us once more in “The Message.” They are two completely different styles in which both are delivered. “Resolution” holds a straight poetry feel that may be is presented in the fashion of Listener or Levi the Poet. “The Message” is done in the style of a follow up prayer to a Sunday morning sermon. “The Sleepless Dreamer” and “Light the Sky” showcase something that is a first for the band, put something that we heard a lot from say The Devil Wears Prada. The fashion of layering vocals; in which screaming vocals are dubbed over clean vocals. Not all bands can pull this off, luckily My Ransomed Soul can pull this off.

It seems every great metal band nowadays features a guest vocalist or two. This year alone we’ve heard Micah Kinard on I, the Breather & Ryan Clark on Impending Doom, only to name a couple. Chains is no different in this fashion. MRS was lucky enough to get Orion Stephens of In Dying Arms to appear on “Clouded Minds”. His vocals mixed in the midst of the band’s musicianship and Frey’s vocals add to the intensity of this album.

OVERALL: This album is a terrific entry from My Ransomed Soul. This band has spent years searching for their “official” sound and certainly finds it on Chains. Everything from the lyrics, vocals, and musicianship are all in their prime on this CD. While it does get old at times hearing some typical hardcore breakdowns in this album and hearing the screaming layered over clean vocals style, they certainly make up for it in other ways. The band’s diversity is unbelievable! Drawing inspiration from poetry, metalcore, post hardcore and more, this band definitely steps up their game on this record. - Indie Vision Music