REVIEW: Jamie's Elsewhere's "Paradise" via SharpTone

These past couple of years it feels like every defunct metalcore band is making some kind of a comeback. Because of this, it always leaves me wary of the quality of the music they’re about to put out. I really hate using this phrasing but a lot of the times these comeback songs always sound like chasing a check with no real artistry. Even still, maybe foolhardy of me, I was really excited for a Jamie’s Elsewhere return. Frontman Aaron Pauley has come a long way since the more active days of his former band and he’s now the bass player and sole vocalist of Of Mice & Men, who have really come to rise in the past few years. Aaron isn’t dropping either band it seems and honestly I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy this new EP.

A lot of the vocal melodies on Paradise are truly haunting. Aaron has really mastered this fine line between forlorn sad boy as well as strong and confident. On “Poisoning Eden” for example he’s layered over himself giving an absolutely crushing performance screaming on one end and a beautiful and ghostly vocal bit on the other end. Even when he’s not directly at the helm there are some really interesting vocal chops and edits going on in Paradise. The chorus of “Escapist” but even more so the intro of “Avatar” which might be my favorite piece of music here. Also the guitar playing on this EP is absolutely killer.


I think what sets Jamie’s Elsewhere apart in this grand genre resurgence is that this is who they’ve always been. They haven’t molded themselves to a style of metalcore that, while on the rise at the moment, isn’t their strength. They stuck to their strengths, they've grown since those old days and this band is just full of genuine artists who love what they do.


Our Rating - 8/10

  1. Escapist
  2. Paradise
  3. Avatar
  4. Poisoning Eden
  5. Separate Me

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