Archspire - The Lucid Collective Review

Archspire - The Lucid Collective [Technical Death Metal]

With a grand total of 21 strings in the band (8 string guitar, 7 string guitar and 6 string fretless bass), this album is the winner for the ultimate wankfest in technical death metal for this year.

Let me put this straight out, this is the fastest album I have heard this year. It's fast (the vocalist even raps out his growls!), brutal and has some of the best guitar solos I've heard in a while. Hell, the bassist is faster than 90% of lead guitarists out there. The vocals have some sick moments, namely in the opening song (such a powerful chorus) and in 'Fathom Infinite Depth', which he opens with a rap. The guitars are literally everywhere, and the drums need only to be able to keep up with the rest of the band (he doesn't really do much else).

However, for most of the record, the instrumental showmanship is quite detached from the rest of the songs. I won't say it for all of them, but there are times when the solo sections could be interchangeable with those from other songs. At such high speeds, some songs do start to sound alike. It's good that the album is relatively short, but it does not have a very high replay value because the musicians' technical prowess completely overshadow their songwriting capabilities. In short, it's an album you remember only for its solos and not its songs.

That's not to say it's a bad album, its perfect for instances when I feel my coffee isn't enough. It's exhilarating as fuck.

As always, the production is quite horrendous to me. At a paltry DR4, it's terribly compressed. It's a clean sound overall, but I hear too much guitar and not enough rhythm and bass. While the guitarists are undeniably good, Jaron Good is one of the best bassists the genre has had to offer and it's disappointing to hear his sounds with so much treble and little resonance. The drums also suffer from this thin, hollow sound. I understand the theme of transcendence is the reason for this sound but it does not strike me as particularly effective (the black metal dudes achieved with much muddier production). Some of the songs are obvious filler here, with only some powerful guitar noodling to save it.

It's a great album for technical prowess, but the band has yet to catch lightning in a bottle with their songs.

★★★☆☆

Rings Of Saturn - Lugal Ki En Review + Commentary

Rings Of Saturn - Lugal Ki En [Technical Deathcore]

This album asks an interesting question about the state of technical death metal today - which takes centrestage, skill or composition?

For those who haven't been familiar with the extreme metal scene over the last few years, Rings Of Saturn is band that became notorious for alleged cheating in the studio. Former members have come out to expose the band's secrets, accusing main guitarist and songwriter Lucas Mann of using Guitar Pro II to speed up his insane riffs and sweeps on the album. While he continues to defend his skills, the resulting sharp, computerized sound is definitely outstanding. It is obvious that many of the album's sounds have been tempered with upon listening (for this latest album, since I won't bother about the previous two for now), but does that impair the listening experience of the album?

Whether or not the musicians have been honest, it's hard to deny the fantastic compositions on the album.. Lucas Mann's pacing and direction are breaths of fresh air in this overcrowded sub-genre, and the alien themes shine brightly in every song. The music comes across as passionate and downright inspired (especially the fantastic instrumental in the middle and at the end of the album). Sure, genre problems are abundant here, I am not too fond of deathcore riffage and breakdowns, which has always been detrimental to my appreciation of bands of this ilk, but the sweeps, codas, guitar solos and the fantastic rhythm section truly cement the songs here. Every song has its own different feel and motif, which is a lot more than I can say of the interchangeable songs in most of today's technical death metal scene.

So how would one go about analyzing the album? People do value honesty, but even if the band members did one day admit that the whole thing has been a fluke, and they have been computer wizards the whole time, what then? Sure, half the thrill of this genre is showmanship, but the band makes up for this with much better songwriting than most bands out there. It is by no means a perfect album even by that merit alone (cue production complains, DR4, argh), but it is nonetheless, a strong album. The band is still in its early stages (they are like, what, 4 years old?), and they are still far from their prime years ahead.

Anyway, I am not going to go ahead with any numerical rating for the album since I doubt a number can ever confirm my full opinion on this band for now. Perhaps, after a closer listen to their previous albums. The vocals are still pretty generic, if serviceable. The melodies are infectious, and the closing instrumental 'The Heavens Have Fallen' could give even the best of Animals As Leaders' a run for their money. The band's compositions are unique, but it keeps production and vocal approach, and the annoying use of breakdowns pretty close to mainstream standards. Doing away with these could make this the perfect album of the year for me.

Revocation - Deathless Review

Revocation - Deathless [Death Metal / Thrash Metal]

We had the pleasure of watching Revocation live on Monday night here in a little building off Armenian Street (Substation), and I will start proper by saying that the band kills it live. They sounded good despite a shitty soundtech crew. Another bonus was Jon Rice (ex Job For A Cowboy) filling in on drums since original drummer Phil Dubois was injured. Needless to say, the real star of the show was band leader David Davidson on guitar.He played with grace and vigour. The band played two songs from this album, the title track and 'Madness Opus', which sounded fantastic as the band closed the gig. Regardless of what you think of this album, this reviewer highly recommends checking most of the band's discography if you love riff-centric metal.




As for the album, a track-by-track review:

1. A Debt Owed To The Grave - The opening track leaps out without wasting a single second. The song is straightforward, but with great riffs and audible bass (which was missing on the last album). The ending is power-metal influenced. Davidson's vocals have improved considerably. A good song.
2. Deathless - Title track which sounds a bit flat now that I have been spoilt by the live version. Still a very strong song with minimal use of clean (autotuned) vocals and a fantastic solo. All the songs on this album have a fantastic solo.
3. Labyrinth Of Eyes - The main riff is a little complex, and this song ought to please fans who prefer their metal with a little different time signature. Coming from the band, this is anything but complex, but I guess being mainstream has a price. Autotuned vocals make another comeback, but they fit the song better here than they do on the previous track. There is a very headbang-able jam session in the middle of the song.
4. Madness Opus - One of my favourite songs on the album for many reasons; great vocals from fellow guitarist Dan Gargiulo (whom, I realised, was the better vocalist live), a fantastic riff (pre-chorus) and a rather progressive approach at the song's midpoint that toggles between jazzy and heavy in a jiffy. The section of course translated very well live, and it's a clear sign of self-aware songwriting. It is a relatively simple song that is more than the sum of its parts.
5. Scorched Earth Policy - A return to lively riffs, with an almost power metal-ish introduction. The main riff is again highly memorable, and there's a drum solo somewhere i the middle (sort of). 
6. The Blackest Reaches - Halfway in and Phil Dubois-Coyne is really starting to shine. Some intricate drumming on this song, some nice guitar licks here and there. Again the solo here is pretty well done. The music is written by Dan Gargiulo here and if anything, he's no slouch on song-writing either.
7. The Fix - Another song written by Dan Gargiulo, it's another more direct song with many short but sweet solos. Dan Gargiulo must love black metal.
8. United In Helotry - You know it's back to Davidson on songwriting when the main riff has a funky time signature. The clean vocals were a bit of a surprise when they kicked in, but they flow seamlessly with the song. Fantastic solo.
9. Apex - Customary instrumental per album. I feel this has to be one of their stronger instrumentals, with a heavier emphasis on melody than the other songs. The jazzy interludes are back, and its surprising how progressive the album has been thus far.
10. Witch Trials - Closing track brings Revocation to NWBHM territory, something that's pretty wild for the band. Not that it is devoid of harsh vocals, but it is noticeably different from the rest of the album, and a well-placed experiment for the band. The song sticks out in a good way, excellent riffage, a catchy verse and some more NWBHM soloing as the song ends. Some may not like the different direction, but I welcome the diversity.

I did not get a chance to hear the bonus Morbid Angel cover.

Overall, it's a surprisingly strong album from Revocation with hardly any filler, putting it far above the band's previous two albums. However, there are still issues that prevent me from awarding the album all five stars:

Production by Zuess and Alan Douches isn't underwhelming (at DR 7), but could have been vastly improved to sound more dynamic. The mostly monotonous vocals may take a bit of getting used to. And love it or hate it, the band is still unmistakably the same at its core. Despite the variations in songwriting, those who didn't like the band before aren't going to like it now either.

★★★★☆

Triptykon - Melana Chasmata Review

Triptykon - Melana Chasmata [Doom Metal]

RIP H.R Giger

The sophomore record by Tom G. Fischer's new band wastes no time in expanding on the ideas explored in the debut record, Eparistera Daimones. This is a pretty late review, so bear with me. For the uninitiated, Tom G. Fischer was the frontman of Celtic Frost, a band with an ambiguous mix of thrash metal, death metal and black metal, and eventually doom metal on their final album Monotheist. Confining this new band to a genre has been quite a headache for me, and the two genres stated above serve only as a teaser to the sound of Triptykon, because noone else sounds like them right now. Song - by -song:

1.  Tree Of Suffocating Souls - A powerful introduction that also highlights the songwriting merits of the band, starting off with double pedals and guitars with a thick, suffocating tone. The vocals are fantastic; intelligible, coarse and always human. I love the guitar solo after the first time the chorus is played here.
2. Boleskine House - A ballad this early may throw many casual listeners off guard, but it's a beautiful song with guest voalist Simone Vollenweider supporting Fischer's low baritone.
3. Altar Of Deceit - Third song goes further into doom territory. The solos here are quite interesting, as they bask in atmospheric melancholy instead of a direct assault. May not be that much of a song for the more hot-blooded listener, but it's satisfactory filler.
4. Breathing - This one is a thrasher. Fischer's vocals are really versatile with any of the styles the songs choose. The riffs are simple yet catchy, and only elevated by the excellent production on the album. Slayer fans will be in for a treat on this one.
5. Aurorae - A surprisingly heartfelt song in the midst of all the madness. It's almost post-metal in nature. A definite standout on this album. Seriously, the guitar solos on this album are amazing.
6. Demon Pact - Features Michael Zech on guitars, this one is another doom-y song, but plays around with minimalist sounds. It's ominous and heavy. Fischer's vocal once again come into the spotlight with some great raspy screams peppered across the track. Elsewhere, there is some refreshing industrial instrumentals on the track. It's the diversity of the record that keeps it fresh. This song truly sounds like it's a pact with Satan.
7. In The Sleep Of Death - This one features more vocals from co-guitarist V. Santura. Not sure what's their beef with Emily Bronte, but this song is chilling. Strong vocals and depressive guitars, straight out of a horror film.
8. Black Snow - Features vocals by A. Acanthus Gristle, presumably on the chorus (hard to tell because Fischer's voice has a pretty big range). A slow burning epic, it's not a favourite of mine though I know many love this one. It's far too long, but it's got the right tone and atmosphere for a lonely night.
9. Waiting - Female vocals again. This one caught me off guard. It's hard to describe the song, it's almost psychedelic and completely different from the previous tracks. It's probably the only positive sounding song here (lyrically also), and it's a respite from the depression-fuelled songs that occupy most of the album. I doubt this is a foreshadowing for things to come on future albums, but I am glad this record ends on a positive note.

There's a Japanese bonus track that I didn't get a hold of, but I doubt it will be important. The sound quality of the album is fantastic even at DR6, it's crushingly heavy without compromising on the subtleties like atmosphere and vocals. Every band member is audible (save for bass). In all honesty, the band doesn't need much dynamic range, but it will be interesting to see how the sound goes given a wider soundstage.

This is a great album, and while not necessarily my favourite album from Fischer, it's not surprising to see this one land on so many best-of lists. I would say it's well deserved.

★★★★☆

Future Islands - Singles Review

Future Islands - Singles [Synth-Pop]

Here's a band that shot to fame with their performance of 'Seasons' on the Letterman show, and it's not surprising to see why. Samuel T. Herring reams with energy and passion on every word he belts out, so much so that the sudden death metal vocals he executes near the end of the song don't sound that out of place (ha, now that's something that should challenge metal bands!). I've been listening to this album repeatedly since its release in April and I have to say it's one of the better pop albums of the year.

I won't go through song by song since most of the songs follow the same pattern. The other band members, keyboardist Gerrit Welmers  and guitarist William Cashion don't actually do all that much to stand out. Herring is the man who carries the entire album through, elevating otherwise cheesy lyrics (though not terrible) with his theatrics and confidence. Arresting moments like that screams on 'Falling From Grace' are the ones that make this album.

Sound-wise, it's at a mediocre DR5, again pretty strange for an otherwise minimalist album. Since Herring's voice is the centre of attention, there isn't much else to add. The synth sounds are pretty well done in my opinion.

On a side note, I really must find more things to say on non-metal albums. This has been a great pop album that I am sure other metalheads may love.

★★★★☆

Bloodbath - Grand Morbid Funeral Review

Bloodbath - Grand Morbid Funeral [Death Metal]

The big news on this one is the replacement of Mikael Åkerfeldt by Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost. For many fans (co-blogger Jing En included), this is a serious downgrade. For me, he's a definitely a step down from two of the best death metal vocalists in business (the other being Peter Tägtgren, the better Bloodbath vocalist). However, I would like to add that there is a distinguishable quality to Homles' voice, he isn't very good at grunting out words in a rapid manner, but his long,growls are sufficiently executed. His presence has possibly also prompted the band to touch on Gothic soundscapes, more on which I shall explain in the respective songs:

1. Let The Stillborn Come To Me - A decent first song with a catchy riff. There's really nothing more to add (do people expect complexity from Bloodbath anyway?)
2. Total Death Exhumed - This song features guitarist Eric Cutler from Autopsy (he plays lead guitar on four songs here). Needless to say, the guest solo spot is not wasted here. At this point, Martin Axenrot's drums start to stand out. Having played subtle jazz rhythms on Opeth's latest, he plays death metal with relative ease and confidence, and enough touches of pizzazz, exactly the style needed for a band whose theme is old metallers relieving the yesteryears of this genre.
3. Anne - This one has a nice chorus, and a hint of atmosphere. Nothing much else to add.
4. Church Of Vastitas - This one ventures into doom metal territory. Nick Holmes sounds underwhelming here though (some might complain he sounds underwhelming in general).
5. Famine Of God's Word - This one's a serious headbanger. One of the faster songs on the album
6. Mental Abortion - Second song with Eric Cutler on leads. It's quite weird that a session musician has the biggest impact on the band (as opposed to you know, the band writing proper songs by themselves).
7. Beyond Cremation - Another headbanger, this is an outstanding song with riffs that come straight from Slayer's hey-day. Holmes sounds a bit more comfortable here. The Goth (and sludge) elements come back in the bridge of this song. Overall, quite well-written.
8. His Infernal Necropsy - Death metal by the numbers. This has blastbeats (which have been pretty rare o the album).
9. Unite In Pain - The first single, and the one that had fans outraged by Holmes' vocals. On the other hand, I am ecstatic with Cutler's contributions here, from the solo in the introduction to the main riff, THIS is old school death metal.
10. My Torturer - The last song to feature Cutler, who goes out with a serious bang with one hell of a guitar solo at the end. The chorus is definitely memorable, this is one of the best songs on the album.
11. Grand Morbid Funeral - Save the best for last, eh? This time, the song features Chris Reifert, the vocalist/drummer of Autopsy. If anything, this album proves how much of a better band Autopsy are than Bloodbath. Reifert comes at the end with the strongest vocals on the album, with a mad, ferocious approach that is unforgettable.

As you can see, I am not very favourable to this album. One thing that seriously undermines everyone's performances here is the production, it's not jut the paltry production at DR5 (why compress sounds if you are going for old school?) it's the tones and the mix, which make the guitars sound extremely dull and powerless (save for the Autopsy guys). Some effects on Holmes' voice could have been nice, everyone knows the previous two vocalists had effects on their vocals, given how good they may be.

Overall, there are a few good songs here and there, but I will definitely be returning to the older Bloodbath records.

★★☆☆☆