"This is Love, This is Murderous" lifted Bleeding Through out of murky underground obscurity, and though it was a little uneven and rough around the edges, it was powerful, sincere, and unique. "The Truth" saw them heading down a slightly softer, more accessible road, though they still retained a seething bite. I was worried that they would tone it down even more with "Declaration," following in the footsteps of All That Remains, In Flames, etc. I was wrong- in fact they went in the complete opposite direction and churned out a scorching masterpiece that makes their previous efforts look like mere sound checks.

Remember how surprised you were with Soulfly's "Dark Ages?" Everyone was saying "Boy, Max is really mad." With "Declaration," every song boils with hatred and fury. Of course, they were always angry- they're a metal band. But the venom flying off this album isn't the mournful "b*&%& you broke my heart" hate, it's way beyond that. With that said, it translates into an album that will doubtless alienate many fans of their earlier work, but I see this as the natural evolution of their sound. They always had a creepy, semi-goth vibe to their thrash/hardcore heaviness, and it's full throttle here. I would dissect this album as 30% hardcore, 30% death metal/thrash, and 40% black metal. There are grim staccato riffs and blastbeats a-plenty, accompanied by terrifying shrieks and bellows. Imagine if "Waking the Fallen" era Avenged Sevenfold, Slayer, and Emperor had a drunken orgy. Actually don't imagine that, but throw these bands into a meat grinder, turn it up to 11 and you've got "Declaration."

I applaud them for fleeing the well-trod road of commercial accessibility and making an album that will shock and awe their audience with it's fury, power, and bleakness. There are still a few melodic moments and the breakdowns are in abundance, so it's still unquestionably Bleeding Through, but they've pulled a Barry Bonds and chugged the steriods en masse and become a terrifying metal behemoth. In a year of monster releases (Slipknot, Metallica, Soulfly, Opeth, etc.), "Declaration" stands out as the most pleasant and blistering surprise of the year. Twenty seconds into the second song (the first is an ethereal intro), your jaw will be on the floor, I promise.

this review comes from someone who is dearley passionate about Bleeding Through. I have followed these guys for almost 4 years now and have witnessed their progression from Dust to Ashes, portrait of the Goddes, This is Love, and the Truth, (self titled review on the way). i've been a member at amazon for years now and i figured it was time for me to voice my opinion. i was one of the ones who anxiously anticipated declaration's released after it had been delayed thanks to trustkill. but all that was said and done with and it was finally released over two years ago. now things have come full circle and now its time for me to critique them. most thought BT's pinnacle of success was The Truth. i would agree with that statement in terms of records sold, not improvements. Declaration is the definitive album in the band's 10 year career. it improves on everything that made the other albums awesome and throws a whole bunch of curveballs at you. yes this is BT, but it is a totally different sensation, almost a 'new' BT.

Brandon, Marta, Jona (now with BMTH), Brian, Derrick, and Ryan have truly pulled out all the stops with declaration. as the theme of the truth flowed quite well, declaration isnt just a song, but the theme of the album. its riddle with ambiance and borders on the emotional side. brandon finally delves deeper into his song writing divulging his 'final' goodbye to the anguish that initiated his song writing years ago. marta's notes have take a sudden shift towards the black metal side,ut it is all too fitting. the riffs are deeper and heavier. add intruments, brandon's scathing voice, and powerful harmonies, and you have one of the best albums in the genre.

released over two years ago, i will try to review each song appropriately now that i have had substantial time to let everything sink in.

FINIS FATALIS SPEI (5/5) - a enrapturing intro by marta starts the album off, plunging you deep into the 11 tracks that remain. its prevelant in the intro the mood and theme of the album are going to be the key in repsecting its entirety.

DECLARATION (5/5) - starts with a pulse-pounding intro that never lets up followed by brandon earth shattered screams. his vocal range in this song particular is quite extroardinary. add in a guest spot by as i lay dying front man tim lambesis and you have a masterpiece. its the band's staple against all oppostion and truley becomes an instant BT classic.

ORANGE COUNTY BLONDE AND BLUE (5/5) - released as the first song off declaraction on their myspace all those years ago. its fast and heart-wrenching...one of my favorites of the album.

GERMANY (5/5) - its been quotes that this is brandon's favorite song off the album, in which i would agree. this one in particualr has a specific vibe to it that none of the other ones share. the evoking instumentals backed by brandon's vocal prowess make germany the all-star. the ending of the song is one of the most raw and intense thing i have ever heard.

THERE WAS A FLOOD (5/5) - if you catch the intro, it is a scene from the matrix revolutions (i believe, when smith finds seraph and the girl, all the lights shut off in the corridor). in any case, the harmonious beginning is extremely captivating, almost too sensational. this is one of the most standout tracks on the album. it takes the album to a new height revealing their diversity with clean vocals and a spotlight by marta herself.

FRENCH INQUISITION (4/5) - a fast, rigid song that amplifies the quality of BT work. it truly delves into brandon's mind based on the choices of lyrics and symbolism.

REBORN FROM ISOLATION (5/5)- again, brandon shows us his range in vocal skills that grips you until the song is over. this song can be linked right to the ongoing theme. keeping in mind the overal tone and symbolism of the term 'declaration.' also a intense guiat solo from current guitarist david nassie breathes new life into the track.

DEATH ANXIETY (5/5) - nothing less than perfect. most have seen it on youtube or on their myspace. i cant say enough about this track, it sounds so brutal with the intrumentals yet peaks when it arrives at the chorus which is one of the most profound on the album. also it was ryan wombacher's turn to start utilizing his voice as well.

THE LOVING MEMORY OF ENGLAND (5/5) - transitions beautifully from death anxiety and slows the album down before it ends too soon. its short but packs and emotional punch with again, the symbolism of the album. it justhas that ambiance that creates goosebumps.

BENEATH THE GREY (4/5) - a solid track indeed. it has a diverse range of instrumentals and packs a punch.

SELLER'S MARKET (4/5) - i enjoy the song becuase it preps you for the ending. it sounds cool but doesnt quite stand out amongst the rest as being truly definitive

SISTER CHARLATAN (6/5) - the conlcusion to the album. the end of brandon's torment. everything that he needs to say comes to an end here. there arent any words to describe this track. most have heard it live, or downloaded it by now. but its much more significant than that. the sheer power and force emitted from the song are indescribable. brandon finally gets the thing that has bothered him the most for all these years, off his chest. it exudes sheer feroucity that cant be matched in any of their other songs. the rapture of the intro pays homage to finis fatalis spei and starts immersing you in powerful guitar riffs. the brandon's voice compells you to feel his emotion and understand the band's statement. match powerful verses with an all too perfect clean section with ryan wombacher and you have a masterpiece. when the climactic build to the ending comes, you almost are inclined to start it over or turn it off becuase you dont want it to be over. but the finishing statements of the song conclude the album astoundingly. followed by a mesmerizing outro yor left with your jaw on the ground and wondering what could possibly top that ending. it is (in my opinion) their best song, and one of the genre's most influential.

BT have overdone themselves with the album. like i said, i am a diehard fan so some of this may seem like bias. but this album is sheer gold...

upon listening to "the truth", I was almost positive that Bleeding Through would have gotten even softer. After all, that is the route that most metal bands go.(i.e. in flames, soilwork, poison the well, 18 visions, ect.) So imagine the look on my face after listening to "Declaration" all the way through. This is deffinately not the softer direction I had anticipated. This is the raw pure hatred and energy and darkness that I would expect from Dimmu Borgir. Brandon's vocals are primed to perfection throughout the whole album. As far as the soft and clean singing goes, there are only 3 tracks where he does that, and thankfully, those parts are in all of the appropriate places. However, the most deserving of gratitude goes to Marta, she really raised the bar on this one, especially on the final track,"Sister Charlitan". A keybord solo?, who could ask for more? On a side note, I was also pleased to find out that "Declaration" was produced by my hero Devin Townsend of Strapping Young Lad, but that really has nothing to to do with it. After listening to the whole album 5 times, I have decided that I've finally found a Bleeding Through album that I like more than "Portrait of a Goddess". BEST BLEEDING THROUGH ALBUM EVER!!!!!!

Bleeding Through is one of those bands that's just plainly underrated and Decleration proves that theory. Is it better then their previous albums? Quite honestly, I like the sound a little bit better. This album is great for two things: pumping you up and pissing you off. Two great elements for a metal album. Songs worth a look at are: Germany, Sister Charleton, and Death Anxiety. One thing though: if you don't like screaming "demon voices", this probably is not the ablum for you. Even though I myself wish they would do a few songs with a normal voice, because the singer actually has a pretty good voice when he's singing normal, but this album doesn't have that. Other then that small detail, it's actually a really good album.

I've listened to BT off-and-on for years. I'll admit I've always kind of lumped them into the trendier side of the fence, along with a lot of the flash in the pan groups since the early 2000's.

That said they've really won me over with this release and shown they have what it takes to maintain their foothold in this genre.

Bleeding Through is for real.

The album is bold, dark, fast, and nuanced. And it's not often I describe a metalcore band as "nuanced".

So like a handful of my favorite bands, they've managed to "mature" without dumbing down their sound or catering to any one notion.