Taken was a metalcore/hardcore band from California that were active from 1997 to 2004. Members went on to form the far less impressive Mikoto and Circa Survive. I understand if you stop reading by this point, but bear with me...this is a gem from a genre that produced a lot crummy and underwhelming records.Listening to Between Two Unseens now, it almost feels cheesy. The guitars are a bit noodley, the rhythm section a bit chuggy at times, and the gang vocals gingerly toe the line between awesome and cornball. I'm not sure if that's a reflection on the band, or the fact that it falls within a genre that largely became a parody of itself. In spite of that, it's still an incredibly beautiful and heartfelt record. It's heavy without feeling forced, relying on passion and urgency rather than machismo and bravado and it's melodic without resorting to awful emo-pop vocal hooks. I'm unsure of how popular this record is, but I can definitely see it's influence in a lot of the emo that has recently become so popular.
I discovered this record at a time in my life when my passion for emo and hardcore was declining, and this album really helped reignite that, so I will always hold a special place in my heart for it.
~AB
