Lowborn (Anberlin) | 3.5/5

SINGAPORE — Perhaps one of the premier “emo” bands of its time, Anberlin built a solid fan base based on its angst-riddled teenager-targeted music, which carried the band all the way to the Top 20 of the Billboard Album Charts and highly successful tours. I use the past tense as Anberlin is no more. Lowborn is the band’s final album and they’re currently on a farewell tour (they’ll perform in Singapore on Sept 12).

The album continues Anberlin’s deliberate move towards an ‘80s post-punk sound, which highlights the use of synth-derived ambient washes with crunching guitars playing a supporting role. Definitely a more studied pose compared to the energetic chaos evident on earlier releases. Despite the change in direction, Anberlin does not fail to provide an escape valve for its audience, with its Christian themes of redemption and salvation prominent in songs like Atonement and Armageddon.

A competent send-off for the diehard emo set.