3 - "Revisions"

3 - Revisions
2009, Metal Blade

1. Anyone Human
2. Rabid Animals
3. The Better Half of Me
4. Automobile
5. Why
6. Lexicon of Extremism
7. Fable
8. You've Been Shot
9. Halloween
10. The Emerald Undertow
11. The Game

Revisions is exactly what it says on the tin - a collection of the band's pre-Wake Pig material remixed, rewritten, and rerecorded. The sound is a bit different from their newer material. It even says so in the liner notes. There's not quite as much technical prowess in the songs as they concentrate more on being short, simple songs. "Lexicon of Extremism" is a acoustic solo song akin to "Bramfatura" that is similarly amazing. I also like "The Emerald Undertow" and "The Game." I've noticed the lyrics in these early songs are a lot darker as well. "The Emerald Undertow" is about a handicapped young man who witnesses the drowning of a girl and his subsequent guilt about the incident. "The Game" is sort of a black comedy track about the lead singer killing the other guys in the band, then killing himself. So yeah... some darker stuff. I like this album okay but for the most part I'm not as enchanted by this material as I am their new stuff.

Useless Fact: The band a few albums out before Wake Pig. The ones I can name off hand are Paint By Numbers, Summercamp Nightmare and Half Life. 

3 - "The End is Begun"

3 - The End is Begun
2008, Metal Blade

1. The World is Born of Flame
2. The End is Begun
3. Battle Cry
4. All That Remains
5. My Divided Falling
6. Serpents in Disguise
7. Been to the Future
8. Bleeding Me Home
9. Live Entertainment
10. Diamond in the Crush
11. Shadow Play
12. These Iron Bones
13. The Last Day
Bonus Track
14. See Emily Play

The End is Begun is another fantastic album by 3. Though it's the only album with a couple songs I was apathetic about. For some reason "Battle Cry" and "Bleeding Me Home" didn't really do anything for me. The rest of the disc is rock solid. I love this band. I did manage to score the special edition of this album which includes a DVD. It has three live songs ("Monster/Bramfatura," "Amaze Disgrace," and "Bramfatura")on it and two music videos ("All That Remains" and "Alien Angel").

Useless Fact: The normal edition of this CD has the band's name spelled out ("Three") versus just using the number like they normally do.

3 - "The Ghost You Gave To Me"

3 - The Ghost You Gave To Me
2011, Metal Blade

1. Sirenum Scopuli
2. React
3. Sparrow
4. High Times
5. Numbers
6. One With the Sun
7. The Ghost You Gave To Me
8. Pretty
9. Afterglow
10. It's Alive
11. Only Child
12. The Barrier

The Ghost You Gave To Me is another fantastic album by 3. This band is definitely going to make it into my top picks for 2012. The band's latest album sees them go a little commercial (a small smidgen) with their sound as it's a little bit more Coheed than it was previously. The production here is a lot bigger than on Wake Pig. It might sound odd, but I think this takes makes the album a little less intimate. I liked that Wake Pig sounded so clear and this one is a bit too loud and echoey. Still, an awesome album that I do not hesitate to spin again and again.

Useless Fact: The band was originally going to call this album "React." However, they decided on something that, when googled, would lead directly to them.

3 - "Wake Pig"

3 - Wake Pig
2005, Metal Blade

1. Alien Angel
2. Monster
3. Dregs
4. Wake Pig
5. Bramfatura
6. Trust
7. Dogs of War
8. Soul to Sell
9. One Way Town
10. Queen
11. Circus Without Clowns
12. Where's Max?
13. Amaze Disgrace

I've said this before but I often find that the albums that grow on me tend to end up being my favorites. So it is with 3's Wake Pig. It took a few listens for my mind to really grab on to what the guys are doing here. Eventually I was hooked! 3 sounds like a combination of Coheed & Cambria and PFR - like both bands got together and had a baby. Lead man Joey Eppard is a phenomenal guitar player and singer. Just listening to the acoustic "Bramfatura" makes me never want to touch the guitar again. I'm not even sure how he's even able to make those sounds. I'd list favorites but this is one of those rare albums where every single song is great.

Useless Fact: Joey's brother Josh Eppard left the band to play with Coheed & Cambria. This may explain why they sound similar.