Ivoryline once billed themselves as a post-hardcore band, but
Vessels sounds more like the work of an alternative rock outfit, with the sort of epic, atmospheric songs that bridge the gap between
Paramore,
Coheed and Cambria, and
30 Seconds to Mars. Like
Paramore,
Ivoryline’s members are all Christians, and they deal with their faith more directly than many of their contemporaries. “He didn’t bleed forever,”
Jeremy Gray sings during “The Greatest Love,” “and death couldn’t hold him down. He brought us back together and we will share his crown.” Apart from
Gray’s lyrics, this is pretty fiery stuff, from the sky-scraping vocals to the slick stacks of distorted guitar. ~ Andrew Leahey