Album Review: Buried In Verona - Notorious

A major personnel shift offers a chance for a drastic re-think and few bands within Australia's heavy music scene needed a period of self-reflection as badly as Sydney's Buried In Verona. Despite considerable buzz, their first two albums did nothing to justify the hype. Metallic mastermind Fredrik Nordström produced 2010's ultra-slick Saturday Night Sever, but describing their songwriting as anything besides generic and their tough guy posturing as anything other than grating would be outright untrue.

Literally half the band departing has obviously resulted in the conclusion that the box-ticking Gothenburg-infused metalcore they were peddling wasn't working. Instead, they've embraced their inner melodic hardcore/punk child. The instantly memorable Four Years, Miles Away and Can't Let It Go (featuring The Amity Affliction's Ahren Stringer) boast big, shiny gleaming hooks that wouldn't sound out of place on an A Day To Remember record, and Nordström's production is so polished it's blinding. Metal isn't completely ignored either; pseudo-djentelements (read – sounds like Meshuggah) permeate throughout. Notorious can be haphazard, but it's infinitely more interesting and honest, showcasing better-honed melodic sensibilities. The honesty is for better and worse; see overdone opener Maybe Next Time, a profanity-filled, veil-free diatribe against someone who has clearly wronged them. The contrast of pop/rock gem Lion Heart slotted alongside shamelessly boneheaded drinking anthem and sure-fire live favourite Couldn't Give 34 Fucks adds variety, but is somewhat jarring.

Buried In Verona are still trying to decide what kind of band they want to be, including a lyrical approach to adopt – sensitive dudes or drunken, heavily tattooed bad-arses. But at least they're trying to break the mould now.