My Damnation
My Damnation is the second studio album by American deathcore band Chelsea Grin. The band entered the studio early 2011 and finished near the middle of the year. The title track was released as a single on April 17, 2011. My Damnation was released on July 19, 2011 through Artery Recordings.
| My Damnation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | January 13 – February 15, 2011 | |||
| Studio | Planet Z Studios, Hadley, Massachusetts | |||
| Genre | Deathcore[1] | |||
| Length | 35:00 | |||
| Label | Artery | |||
| Producer | Chris "Zeuss" Harris | |||
| Chelsea Grin chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from My Damnation | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 | ||||
Theme and musical style
The album's lyrics reference Hell and eternal damnation, which are portrayed after death. Musically, the album features many more guitar solos than that of previous releases.[3][4] Referencing the album, Alternative Press wrote that the band's "Suicide Silence-esque bludgeon" possessed "shades of blackened death metal".[5]
Vocalist, Alex Koehler, stated that the record holds a specific concept in contrast to their previous albums; "I wanted to make the lyrics based more on a story of a man's journey from being a selfish tyrant, to being condemned to hell, seeking forgiveness, and salvation. I wasn't trying to write a religious or spiritual album. I just find the concept of heaven and hell completely fascinating, so it makes it easy to write about."[6]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 50/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Alternative Press | [7] |
| Consequence of Sound | C−[8] |
| Kerrang! | [7] |
My Damnation was met with mixed reviews. The review aggregator site Metacritic gave the album 50/100, based on reviews of 4 critics.[7]
Heany Gregory of AllMusic stated "Smashing together the macabre intensity of death metal with the chugging, technical gymnastics of metalcore, Utah’s Chelsea Grin brutalize listeners with their punishing sophomore effort ... [which] attacks the listener with a relentless deathcore barrage".[1]
Alex Young of Consequence of Sound gave album C−, stating that "My Damnation serves as minor evidence that Chelsea Grin might not become a throwaway copycat. Fans can only hope polish doesn't push these Utah rockers away from their current path and towards the poppier territory of their more famous neighbors."[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Foolish One" | 3:39 |
| 2. | "Everlasting Sleep" | 3:18 |
| 3. | "Behind a Veil of Lies" | 3:23 |
| 4. | "Kharon" (instrumental) | 1:18 |
| 5. | "My Damnation" | 4:35 |
| 6. | "Cursed" | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Calling in Silence" (featuring Nate Johnson of Fit for an Autopsy) | 5:01 |
| 8. | "Oblivion" | 3:35 |
| 9. | "Last Breath" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "All Hail the Fallen King" (featuring Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel) | 2:52 |
| Total length: | 35:00 | |
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 64 |
| U.S. Billboard Rock Albums | 16 |
| U.S. Billboard Independent Albums | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 6 |
Personnel
|
|
References
- Heany, Gregory. "My Damnation [w/Artery Records Sampler]". Allmusic. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- "Chelsea Grin My Damnation (Single)". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- "Chelsea Grin - My Damnation". Consequence of Sound. July 25, 2011.
- "Chelsea Grin - My Damnation". Heavy Metal Now. November 19, 2011. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013.
- "Chelsea Grin - Evolve EP". Alternative Press. June 11, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- "Audiopinions Interview". Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- "My Damnation Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- Alex Young (July 25, 2011). "Chelsea Grin - My Damnation | Album Reviews | Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 22, 2014.