Taken
Between Two Unseens
8.3
Taken broke up. To most of you, this won't mean a thing. To everyone else, this is probably old news. Myself, I was personally never much of a fan of Taken, but that was largely due to the fact that I wasn't exposed to them much. Between Two Unseens is their final parting gift - a 24-minute long EP on Goodfellow. One of the more accepted bands in the world of modern emotional hardcore, the band toured with the likes of Alexisonfire and This Day Forward.
Using a mixture of consistent screaming, multiple layers of guitarwork, and an abundance of delay, this Californian band helped manage to keep an entire genre from becoming entirely laughable. Deriving influence from bands like Shai Hulud and Grade, what results is some of the most contemplative and sorrowful music that still deserves to be paired up with heavy music. Racing out of the gates with "Arrested Impulse", the active lead guitarwork interlocks perfectly with the clear-cut bridge before expanding into a beautiful culmination before retreating back into dreamy and pensive territory. "Treaded Paths" follows a similar track, starting with a reflective and somber introduction before a small burst into something grand, mainly due to the use of Ray Harkins' mournful yellings.
For anyone who's familiar with the previously named bands or even the Japanese outfit Envy, Taken could be your new favorite band. They created their share of dejected and depressing near-classics for a reason, so if you even have the slightest curiosity, do the band and yourself a service and go out and investigate this release.
