Rock In Review

Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe
Nuclear Blast Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Scar Symmetry can be called a band of many talents, and their newest full length release entitled Holographic Universe helps defend that statement. Whether you want to call this album a Metalcore album, a Melodic Death metal album, or a Progressive Death metal album, everyone should realize that Scar Symmetry has some major skills! Between Christian Älvestam’s beautiful clean vocals and brutal death growls and the sick guitar skills between guitarists Jonas Kjellgren and Per Nilsson, the melodic aspects of this album are absolutely spot on. However awesome these three guys are, the overall heaviness and pure musical sound would not be complete without the help of bassist Kenneth Seil and drummer Henrik Ohlsson (who also writes lyrics for the band). Putting all these skills together have made a difficult decision as far as picking favorite songs, but the one I would most recommend is the title track “Holographic Universe” (Track 10). This track happens to be the longest track on the album at a time of 9:05 and I think it truly shows the wide range of talent these five guys posess. It takes you through futuristic synth effects, Meshuggah style heavy guitar and duble bass, and some massively brutal Metal. One cool aspect Scar Symmetry implements into the track is the Progressive sound just before battering you with heaviness and blistering guitar solos once again. Overall, this is a great track to catch a fairly large sized glimpse of Scar Symmetry’s true power. Other than “Holographic Universe”, I recommend listening to “Artificial Sun Projection” (Track 4), “Fear Catalyst” (Track 7), and “Prism And Gate” (Track 9). All of the tracks have their unique greatnesses, but these are a few of my favorite songs. All in all, I say Holographic Universe is definitely an album to add to your metal arsenal. The overall product is one that you will be listening to nonstop until the next album comes out!

Tiamat - Amanethes
Nuclear Blast Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Tiamat is back from a five year hiatus and they have released an album that shows that they still mean business! Whether you want to call Tiamat Goth, Electronic, Folk, Experimental, or any other genre that can be found in their music, the one thing that can be agreed on by everyone is the darkness that isn’t hard to find in the music from beginning to end of Amanethes. Personally, I would categorize this band under Goth rock or Goth metal to properly cover every aspect put into the mix including clean guitars, keyboards, choir vocals, and even double bass drums. No matter what you call it, Amanethes turned out to be a great album! Led by the gruff vocals and guitar/keyboard work of Johan Edlund, Tiamat takes you on a musical journey through 14 tracks that all have their unique styles and aspects that make them all vital to Amanethes‘ magnitude. To mention a few favorite tracks of mine from the 14, I must say I like “The Temple of the Crescent Moon” (Track 1), “Until the Hellhounds Sleep Again” (Track 3), and “Lucienne” (Track 5). My most favorite is “Until the Hellhounds Sleep Again” for its slow and heavy guitar riff that backs up Johan Edlund’s deep and lulling voice. Together, the two elements create a very “dream-like state” effect and are accented by the keyboards in the background. Overall, the track is an excellent one. “Lucienne” has a very similar affect, making it my, close, second choice for favorite track. Overall, Amanethes is a great, very dark album that has sparked my interest in this style of music. If you are a fan of Goth rock and darker styles of music, definitely go and pick up a copy of this album!

Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Nuclear Blast Records

* * * * 1/2
4 1/2 Stars

The gods of Thrash are back and have struck again! Having been under the name Testament for 21 years (minus a few hiatus years), Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson have once again teamed up with most of the rest of the original members to put out their first new album since 1999’s The Gathering. Even though Testament hasn’t put out an album in almost 10 years, The Formation of Damnation was certainly worth the wait! With pounding drums being provided by Paul Bostaph (1993, 2007-present), heavy shredding guitars provided by Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick (1986-1993, 2001-present), thundering bass line provided by Greg Christian (1986-1993, 2003-present), and some of the sickest vocals to hit the Thrash scene provided by none other than Chuck Billy. Of the 11 tracks on the album, the two I would recommend most are “The Evil Has Landed” (Track 3) and “The Formation of Damnation” (Track 4/Title track). “The Evil Has Landed” stuck out to me for its lyrical content. Basically, the whole song is about the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. This song really just portrays that day and really hits you in a different way because of what happened. “The Formation of Damnation” sticks out to me more along the musical lines rather than the lyrical lines. The overall song is heavy and showcases some of Testament’s great talents (plus, the breakdown is awesome). Overall, the whole album is definitely one that will go down in the musical history books as another great piece of Thrash metal!

Keep of Kalessin - Kolossus
Nuclear Blast Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Keep of Kalessin has struck again from the land of Black metal! Coming forth from Norway with their fourth full length album entitled Kolossus, KoK is continuing to show the world why Norway is known as the land of Black metal. Incorporating some more Progressive and Electronic elements into their sound, KoK has successfully put out an album that helps show the world that not EVERY Black metal band sounds the same. One prominent element that separates this band from other is the vocal style of Thebon. Rather than using a more high pitched scream most of the time, he uses more of a yelling technique. Another aspect of KoK I like IS the Progressive features they implement. With the collaboration of the Black metal style and Progressive music style utilized by Obsidian Claw (guitars and synth), Wizziac (bass), and Vyl (drums) and Thebon’s vicious vocals, all 9 tracks on Kolossus seem to really pack a punch. On top of that, they seem to flow through time effortlessly, creating a great album to listen to. Honestly, with the way they fit so well together, I really can’t find a favorite track. Each one seems to just be an extension of what has come before it. As far as the overall album goes, I definitely recommend Kolossus to any Black metal fans and anyone looking to get into Black metal!

Synastry - Blind Eyes Bleed
Year of the Sun Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Ok guys and gals in the Metal world, here we go again for our boys in Canada and at Year of the Sun Records! A new addition to the Death metal scene, Synastry, has made its mark on the current scene with their excellent debut album, Blind Eyes Bleed! The first thing that needs to be mentioned is their affective use of a, sort of, Industrial sounding effect that is implemented with the brutality of the progressive Death metal sound. Really, I think it sounds awesome! The Industrial effects are not overbearing, so Synastry isn’t and Industrial metal band, but they have included a decent amount of it to make their sound really unique. Unique is what I’m looking for! Musically, this four piece couldn’t have put much more into the album to make it any better of a debut. As far as vocals go, Jimmy Anastasopoulos blends perfectly with the music, and these four guys have really created a killer album. Another unique thing about the band is the fact that there are four guys with only ONE guitarist. It is rare to see this nowadays and I have found a place for these guys in my respect for bands like this because of how difficult it is to get a great sound with just one guitarist in the age of new Metal. As far as favorite tracks on the album, the one I really have to suggest is “Beast of Myself” (Track 5). the overall album is a great one, but “Beast of Myself” sticks out to me because it has a great heaviness and brutality to it, but at the same time, this is one where Synastry implemented the Industrial aspect very well. Once again, this entire album is good and this is a great start for this band. So, for all you Progressive Death metal fans, or fans of straight Death metal, grab a copy of Blind Eyes Bleed as soon as possible! Metal on!

Cradle to Grave - Texas Medicine
Year of the Sun Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Baton down the hatches and bunker down low, Cradle to Grave has put out an album that is a force to be reckoned with! With a mix of thrashing guitars, animalistic screams, and a pure adrenaline boosted motive, Texas Medicine is a great example of all the different styles of new Metal all packed into one incredible album! One thing in particular I like about this album is the fact that just about every track is different. Whether you’re getting thrown around by Thrash metal or being pounded in the face by pure aggressive Metal, CtG has risen above a lot of newer bands with their ability to provide fans with great variety. Although some parts of the album kind of start to fall into a bit of a “cookie cutter” Metal style, I think that that’s what helps bring in more fans. Overall, I like, pretty much, everything this album has to offer. As far as good tracks to check out, I suggest “From Nowhere to Nowhere” (Track 5), “I Am Nothing” (Track 6), “F**k It Up” (Track 8), and “Beheaded in Paris” (Track 11). Really, these tracks show a great mix of how this band sounds (at least on THIS album). To get the full spectrum, listen to the whole album (obviously), but I believe that the four listed above will give the gist of CtG’s sound. All in all, if you’re looking for a great, energy-blasted, Metal album, check out the second full release from Cradle to Grave, Texas Medicine!

Epicurean - A Consequence of Design
Metal Blade Records

* * * *
4 Stars

With this re-release of 2006’s A Consequence of Design, Epicurean is hitting the Metal scene hard with this Melodic Death metal masterpiece! Although the regular screamed vocals by John Laramy are not all exactly my favorite, the clean vocals sound incredible and his sound definitely fits in with the rest of the band’s sound. As for the rest of the band, everybody sounds great on the album and there are obvious influences from bands like Opeth and some more Symphonic sounding bands like Epica. Overall, I really like what Epicurean has put together as far as sound and overall quality. As far as favorite songs go, I can’t really choose any for the mere fact that they all have something I really like about them. One thing I really like is the fact that there is another newer band out there writing songs over 5 and 6 minutes long. That always helps for a good change of pace when stuck in the monotony of 3 to 4 minute songs. If I had to mention a couple of songs to definitely check out, I’d have to say “Of Malice and Majesty”, “Anathema: The Gate Keeper”, and “To Cast the Mourning Shadow”. These three songs come later in the album, but they all show different styles and influences the band put into the music. As an overall album, I definitely love this album and recommend it to any Melodic Death metal fan!

Soilent Green - Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction
Metal Blade Records

* * * * 1/2
4 1/2 Stars

Soilent Green is back from a 3 year writing period with a new album, and this album is a force to reckoned with! Compared to their 2005 release Confrontation, Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction has more Death metal influence with more quick and choppy sections that are heavily laden with blast beats provided by drummer Tommy Buckley (also the drummer for Crowbar). On top of the blast beats and other insane drum bits, the vocals laid down by Ben Falgoust (also the vocalist for Goatwhore) fit perfectly with all the music laid down and certainly resemble the stylings of his Goatwhore material. To take this chaotic piece of art to the next level, guitarist Brian Patton (also the guitarist for EyeHateGod) and bassist Scott Crochet (also the bassist for Hostile Apostle) both tear the roof down with their ever changing riffs of different Metal styles and even some Jazz and Blues influence thrown in. Ultimately, this album sows a great mix of the other bands these four guys play in, creating (as mentioned before) a beautiful work of artistic chaos. With all of these influences and sounds brought together, I’d have to give it up to “Mental Acupuncture”, “Antioxidant”, and “All This Good Intention Wasted in the Wake of Apathy”. Honestly, these three songs just stick out to me for their overall quality. The entire album is incredible and flows together perfectly, but those three just stick out a bit over the rest for me. Overall, if you’re looking to get into the New Orleans “Sludge metal” game, check out Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction on Metal Blade Records!

Emmure - The Respect Issue
Victory Records

* * * * *
5 Stars

Strap on your seatbelts and hold on tight for one of the best breakthrough artists from 2007 continuing through 2008, Emmure! Rolling off their incredible debut album Goodbye to the Gallows, Emmure is releasing their second full length album entitled The Respect Issue. Honestly, I can’t put this album down! Tracks 1-4 are basically one HUGE breakdown before you are shown to another side of Emmure through parts of tracks 5 and 6. Tracks 7, 8, and 10 are all heavy in their own aspects, but the real shocker of the album is track 9 (”Dry Ice”). “Dry Ice” is simply an instrumental track that is slow, soft, and really doesn’t have much to do with the album. Overall, every track on the album has a significant purpose to making this one of the most exciting albums I have heard from Victory Records, but there were a few that stuck out. The one that had the MOST impact on me was “False Love in Real Life” (track 4). As soon as this track ended the first time I heard it, I had to start it over! The breakdowns in the track are UNBELIEVABLE! These breakdowns mark a new era for breakdowns with the slow and heavy effect they have. They are absolutely out of this world! On top of that, vocalist Frank Palmeri does an incredible job absolutely murdering this track. Every thing about it is insane! Really, every track on this album had some sort of incredible effect on me, but “False Love in Real Life” really hit me hard. To get a good glimpse of Emmure’s, more, Progressive sounding side, “Chicago’s Finest” (track 5) and “Tales From the Burg” (track 6). These two songs really combine different feelings and styles to get your heart pumpin’ and your fists movin’! And once again, the breakdown in “Tales From the Burg” is RIDICULOUS! Overall, I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better album out of these guys! All five members did an incredible job keeping up the intensity of their debut album sound. So, if you’re looking for an album to get you pumped and ready to punch someone in the head, check out The Respect Issue by Emmure ASAP!

Death Angel - Killing Season
Nuclear Blast Records

* * * *
4 Stars

Grab your books and hit the classroom, Thrash is back in session! Death Angel is back and still kickin’ it old school with their newest Thrashterpiece, Killing Season! From start to finish, this 11-track album proves that Death Angel has not lost their touch and continues to bring you that classic, old school Thrash metal style. Guitarists Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar absolutely tear it up as drummer Andy Galeon and bassist Dennis Pepa pull up the back with their awesome skills. Heading up the attack is vocalist Mark Osegueda, who is on top of his game throughout the album while receiving back-up from Rob and Dennis! Altogether, these guys are so amazing, they leave me practically speechless! As hard as it is to choose favorites amongst the tracks, but three really caught my attention. The first two are the two opening tracks, “Lord of Hate” (track 1) and “Sonic Beatdown” (track 2). “Lord of Hate” is a great opener because it starts off nice and mellow before hitting you full force with Thrash. “Sonic Beatdown” is great because it helps provide classic example after classic example that old school Thrash will NEVER die. As for the third song, the title is “Resurrection Machine” (track 11) and it is worth every second it plays! Really, it never gets to a high velocity of Thrash, but it shows another side of the album with a slower, heavier feel that includes a more mellow sound combined with pure heaviness. Overall, Killing Season is a great album for anyone who enjoys Thrash metal, or if you’re just starting to get into it. Just remember, in 2008, Thrash is back and “Killing Season” has just begun!