Hold Your Breath (album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Hold Your Breath
| type = Album
| artist = Embodyment
| cover = Embodyment-HYB.jpg
| alt =
| released = October 9, 2001
| recorded = 2001
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Alternative metal, alternative rock{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/hold-your-breath-mw0000013768|title=Embodyment – Hold Your Breath|website=AllMusic|first=Jason D.|last=Taylor|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}
| length =
| label = Solid State, One Day Savior
| producer = Barry Poynter, Jason Magnusson
| prev_title = The Narrow Scope of Things
| prev_year = 2000
| next_title = Songs for the Living
| next_year = 2002
}}
Hold Your Breath is the third studio album by the American Christian metal band, Embodyment.
Critical reception
{{Album reviews
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev2 = Theprp
|rev3 = Cross Rhythms
|rev4 = Jesus Freak Hideout
|rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/HoldYourBreath.asp|title=Embodyment – Hold Your Breath|publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout|first=Blake|last=Garris|date=October 14, 2001|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}
}}
Jason Taylor of AllMusic says with Hold Your Breath, Embodyment directs "their sound toward passionate alternative rock", and compared to past releases, "Embodyment targets a much more mainstream version of heavy rock." However, he concludes that Hold Your Breath "is missing that extra something to claim it is an outstanding album" and "fails to meet expectations."
Wookubus of Theprp writes, "Gone are the screams and grating guitar work and in their place are twisting melodies and emphatic croons, bringing to mind the likes of a tougher version of Far, Jimmy Eat World or recent Cave In with an occasional prog-rock styled excursion." He claims "the material present here is perhaps the band's most mature offering to date." Hold Your Breath is "a worthy purchase for anyone looking for something a bit different from cookie cutter emocore or the mainstream norm."{{cite web|url=http://www.theprp.com/thevault/reviews/embodyment1.shtml|title=Embodyment – Hold Your Breath|publisher=Theprp|author=Wookubus|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}
Amber Authier or Exclaim! states, "drummer Mark Garza shines" but "vocalist Sean Corbray sounds like he is struggling to perform at the same level as the rest of his band-mates on some tracks".{{cite magazine|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/embodyment-hold_your_breath|title=Embodyment – Hold Your Breath|magazine=Exclaim!|first=Amber|last=Authier|date=February 28, 2002|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}
Mark Broomhead of Cross Rhythms wrote "Hold Your Breath grabs you immediately as it kicks straight in with a riff slightly reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins." He compares Embodyment's sound on Hold Your Breath to Kings X's heavier side.{{cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Embodyment/Hold_Your_Breath/3567/|title=Embodyment – Hold Your Breath|publisher=Cross Rhythms|first=Mark|last=Broomhead|date=September 4, 2001|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}
Blake Garris of Jesus Freak Hideout expressed Embodyment's "screaming seems like a thing of the past and melodic hardcore seems like the key to their bright future." He calls the lyrics "repetitive" but "very artistic".
Track listing
{{track listing
|title1 = Yours Truly
|length1 = 3:31
|title2 = Belly Up
|length2 = 3:32
|title3 = Decade
|length3 = 4:24
|title4 = K-9
|length4 = 3:11
|title5 = Set the Stage
|length5 = 4:32
|title6 = Heaven in a Letter Bomb
|length6 = 2:38
|title7 = Season's End
|length7 = 3:38
|title8 = Binge and Purge
|length8 = 2:52
|title9 = Moving On
|length9 = 4:05
|title10 = Cruise Control
|length10 = 3:50
|total_length = 36:13
}}
Personnel
;Embodyment
- Sean Corbay – Vocals
- Andrew Godwin – Lead Guitars
- Derrick "Stone" Wadsworth – Rhythm Guitars
- Jason Lindquist – Bass
- Mark Garza – Drums
;Production
- Brandon Ebel – Executive Producer
- Jason Magnusson – Executive Producer, Producer
- Barry Poynter – Producer