All That Remains, who have been in the news a bit lately due to singer Phil Labonte’s outspoken comments and controversial opinions on gun control and Tom Morello, have dropped their new single ‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’ from the upcoming disc ‘A War You Cannot Win.’ The verdict? It’s another ATR song primed for rock radio.

The band has pretty much fully transitioned from Massachusetts metal warriors into a legit rock band with radio sensibilities and commercially viable songs. While there are some guitars with bite here and there, the nasty thrash and European-style guitar acrobatics that defined the band’s earliest efforts are pretty much swapped out in favor of cleaner, more accessible riffs.

That said, there’s a rip-roaring solo in the song, ensuring that ATR are still a hard rock band with a metal past of which they are proud.

This sonic shift should come as a shock to absolutely no one, since the band has been running headlong in this direction for years. ATR aren’t turning into something they are not, by any means, but they no longer have as much in common with bands like Converge, Shadows Fall and Unearth, with whom they came up.

Labonte sings cleanly from start to finish, from back to front in the radio edit. No growls. No snarls. No barks. Just well-sung verses and choruses about standing up and being counted.

‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’ is a mid-tempo rock song that is anything but vanilla, especially when compared to a lot of sanitized rock on the FM dial. However, diehard headbangers may not like the lack of aggression in the vocals. The band has a catalog full of that style, and ATR are pushing forward and keeping things interesting and evolved. If you want full on ferocity, then you may want to drag out ‘This Darkened Heart.’ If you want more variety, then crank ‘Stand Up (Stand Up).’

‘A War You Cannot Win’ is due out Nov. 6; ‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’ goes on sale via iTunes on Sept. 24.

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Listen to All That Remains, ‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’

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