Aiden
Disguises
Release Date: Mar 29, 2011
Genre(s): Emo, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Hardcore, Punk/New Wave, Hardcore Punk, Punk Revival, Goth Rock
Record label: Victory
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Album Review: Disguises by Aiden
Average, Based on 4 Critics
Based on rating 6/10
Their fifth album, Disguises finds goth-punks Aiden upping the intensity of their already incendiary sound with a metal edge, keeping the familiar drive that they’ve cultivated over the years while adding some hardcore-influenced breakdowns and chugging riffage to the mix. While the move was a risky one, it really pays off for the band, adding a new sense of catharsis and impact to the album without changing things so much that you’d wonder who you’re listening to. With a running time just a hair over 30 minutes, Disguises is an incredibly compact slice of aggression that’s packed to the brim with frontman William Francis' special brand of scathing social commentary and tons of huge singalong choruses for fans to whip themselves into a frenzy with.
Based on rating 5/10
Seattle rockers begin to waver... Some will be surprised to find that ‘Disguises’ is Aiden’s fifth studio album. There’s been a noticeable progression in sound over the years, but whether it’s for the better is debatable. You see, ‘Disguises’ is neither brilliant or dreadful. Aiden.
Based on rating 2.0/5
Review Summary: I’ve got a big fat fuckin’ bone to pick with Wil.One line of thinking suggests that you have to feel just a little bit sorry for gothic punks Aiden. For a band who were so derivative in following their inspirations during their early years, the Seattle quartet really should have achieved greater success. Initially discounted as being cheap knock-offs of bands such as AFI, My Chemical Romance and The Used, Aiden were probably as surprised as anyone when all three bands surged in popularity.
Opinion: Very Good
Propelled by the turbulent life experiences of frontman William “WiL” Francis, Seattle’s Aiden have always leaned towards darkness. Beginning in 2004 as visceral horror punks, they came on like Alkaline Trio gothed up to the extreme, but as the band grew up, so their sound changed too. 2007’s Conviction saw them swerve in a more electronic, Depeche Mode-inspired direction; the two albums from Francis’ solo side project, William Control, also followed that musical path.
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