Miss May I // Apologies Are For The Weak - 15th Anniversary Edition // Album Review

Ohio metalcore legends Miss May I are set to re-release “Apologies Are For The Weak” on the 23rd of August to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its release and signing with Solid State Records.

The album has been completely rerecorded and features guest appearances on each track. The original album was a game changer for a lot of people, myself included, not only was it their debut but it was heavy as fuck, metalcore being what it always has its melodic side which goes hand in hand with the heavy, this just blew everything up, those of us who were on the fence about the genre and certain bands all of a sudden found themselves foaming at the mouth from what they were hearing; a much heavier harsher nearly deathcore sound with the melodic side taking a back seat for the most part on each of the tracks. It will come as no surprise that when they re-recorded the album they did not mess around with it too much, the only thing they did was clean up the sound, for all it good at times sounds like it was recorded under the duvet, making it much crisper and for my money a hell of a lot heavier, some of which can be attributed to the guest appearances.

The band aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel here; they are merely improving an album that was already a top drawer. From the opening refrains of “Dance With Aera Cura” to the last echos of “Forgive And Forget” you get to relive the album with a fresh sense of wonder, mind you when you have some of the heavy hitters of the genre tagging in it makes it all the sweeter; old favourites like “Architect”, with Brian Wille from Currents, is still up there with one of the best songs around, while “Arms Of The Messiah” with Scott Lewis from Carnifex will blow you away; not just for the heaviness but the ferocity is off the chain. “Harlot’s Breath” has Brook Reeves lending his might to this one and much like the original this drips with vitriol, a heavy and doom-laden monster. Some worthy mentions for Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red and Tuyler Smith from The Word Alive for their input on “Tides” and “Porcelain Wings” respectively.

The album is wrapped up with “Forgive And Forget” which was already a banger but throw in the two Ryans, Kirby and O’Leary, from Fit For A King and you instantly kick it up a notch and make an already classic even more unforgettable.

For my money this is a better way to re-release an album rather than the usual digitally remastered fare, they are not reinventing the wheel just making it better

“Apologies Are For The Weak” 15th-anniversary edition is out on the 23rd of August via Solid State Records, if you liked it the first time around you’ll love it even more now!

Review: Conor

APOLOGIES ARE FOR THE WEAK (RE-RECORDED 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION):
“A Dance With Aera Cura” (Feat. Garrett Russell from Silent Planet)
“Architect” (Feat. Brian Wille from Currents)
“Not Our Tomorrow” (Feat. Brandan Schieppati from Bleeding Through)
“Arms Of A Messiah” (Feat. Scott Lewis From Carnifex)
“Apologies Are For The Weak” (Feat. Anthony Notarmaso from After the Burial)
“Harlots Breath” (Feat. Brook Reeves from Impending Doom)
“Tides” (Feat.Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red)
“Blessing With A Curse” (Feat. Trevor Wentwoth from Our Last Night)
“Porcelain Wings” (Feat. Telle Smith From The World Alive)
“Forgive And Forget” (Feat. Ryan Kirby + Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary from Fit for a King)

Miss May I will hit the road on a headline tour this fall, during which they will play Apologies Are for the Weak in full. All dates are below. The band has announced the first annual Relentless Fest, set for November 3 in Covington, Kentucky, during which they will play Apologies Are For the Weak in full.

Further details are here and in the graphic below.

MISS MAY I ON TOUR:
10/2 — Lakewood, OH — The Roxy
10/3 — Lansing, MI — Grewal Hall
10/4 — Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge
10/5 — Des Moines, IA — Wooly’s
10/6 — St. Paul, MN — Amsterdam Bar & Grill
10/8 — Denver, CO — The Oriental Theatre
10/9 — Salt Lake City, UT — Metro Music Hall
10/11 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
10/12 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre
10/14 — Roseville, CA — Goldfields
10/15 — Pomona, CA — Glasshouse
10/16 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick
10/17 — Mesa, AZ — Nile Theatre
10/19 — Dallas, TX — Trees
10/20 — Austin, TX — Come And Take It Live
10/21 — Houston, TX — Warehouse
10/23 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade
10/24 — Tampa, FL — Orpheum
10/25 — Charleston, NC — Music Farm
10/26 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819
10/27 — Richmond, VA — The Canal Club
10/29 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Monarch
10/30 — Worcester, MA — Palladium
11/1 — Mechanicsburg, PA — Lovedraft’s Brewing Co.
11/2 — Pittsburgh, PA — Mr. Smalls
11/3 — Covington, KY — Relentless Fest*
*Festival Date