Relinquished - Onward Anguishes (PR2013)
- Relinquished is a progressive doom/death act with some definite
potential as far as I've heard. They've got a great deal to offer to the
metal world and I have a feeling that this disc is only the beginning.
"Authority 4:38" takes a while to get started, but the chorus is very
strong and once it hits, you won't forget it. There are three vocalists
in the band, one growler, one screamer and one female vocalist - and
they all work together beautifully.
"Loss Delusion 6:54" is next
on the disc and that track automatically lets loose into the band's
somber side, think of a proggy Katatonia with thundering death metal
moments. But once again, when the clean chorus starts up; you won't be
able to get it out of your head. This one hit me instantly. Even from
the first time I heard this record from the stream, this chorus alone
came out at me.
"Logical Step 3:50" brings a bit of warmness to
the album, with nice leads that remind me a bit of Tool and some core
influence, but the vocals don't go with the core and that works for me.
There's no question that the axeman here has talent and the drummer's
just as good to keep up with him. A clean vocal tries to pierce me, but
it fails and instead leaves me only remembering the lead riffs.
"To
Whom I Could Relate 7:29" might remind you a little of Katatonia or
Staind at their very lightest, however I am sure that there are many
other bands that I'm just too tired to think of right now, who you can
attach names to for this track. But what I like, is that the harsh
vocals come up in portions that make this track a little more than just a
ballad. These guys are really trying to bridge the gap between Swallow
The Sun and current era Katatonia here and it's working. The guitar solo
also helps.
"No Virtue Unatoned 4:42" makes me think of Opeth
from the very first note. That's a good sign, especially when the genre
tag for the band is labeled "progressive." The song does erupt into a
fury however, bringing some well needed heaviness atop some cleaner
portions and closing it off with a great solo. Not amazing, but
certainly a fun track to listen to. It just doesn't catch me.
"Surrender
& Distance 6:52" Comes in with strong melodies and thick gravel on
the vocals. It's very much the "melodic doom/death" track of the album
and should remind you very much of Swallow The Sun, Insomnium, Belakor
and several other bands of that ilk. The second part of the song is a
little lighter, but then the heaviness comes back until the end.
Certainly a strong track, it's the sort of thing that most people will
want to hear from this band.
"Another Lightsource Going Out
3:53" is a bit of an oddity on the album as it is a soft jazzy piece
that eventually gets a bit heavier, yet retains the same amount of
saxophone influence. You might think that's a flute there, but I know
better - it certainly sounds like a light saxophone. Thanks, Ulver! As
for the track, light saxophone pieces thrown on the album always do the
trick and bring that sense of freedom that I've always championed.
"A
World Of Constant Suffer 5:03" starts out with the death/doom sense,
but slows down where it welcomes soft whispers and clean leads. Things
get heavy for a while then get a little funky as they straighten up for
one bout of heavy before the solo. Yes. This is how you write a song,
folks.
"Beyond Anguishes 7:21" is the slow, yet shredding closer
to the album, which is always a welcome thing. Again, the band's axeman
is highly skilled and doesn't mind showing off his licks, despite all
the loops and changes in the music. Female harmonizing comes in during
the whispers, which certainly work well as this is all some large sort
of storyline which seems to be something about the loss of a loved one, a
significant other perhaps. It's quite dreadful of a topic, but works
well for this genre of melodic, progressive doom/death metal. The album
ends out with some amazing leads and there's no doubt about it that
these guys are certainly talented.
Relinquished is a band that's
most certainly worth your attention. Fans of doom metal and somber alt.
rock as well as fans of despairing doom/death will find something here,
as well as fans of progressive death metal as all these genres seemed to
have gelled into one large mass that comes off a bit rough with this
first disc, but will be further refined on later efforts. I just hope
that enough buzz gets generated about these guys that they'll be able to
continue.
If you like the music, support it!
Highlights:
Loss Delusion, To Whom I Could Relate, Surrender & Distance,
Another Lightsource Going Out, A World Of Constant Suffer, Beyond
Anguishes (9 Tracks, 50:00)
9/10
Kylesa - Ultraviolet (PR2013)
- I must admit, after hearing Kylesa's last album Spiral Shadows, I
hardly expected such a transformation in the form of Ultraviolet. First
of all, we can't really call it a metal album. Even though there are
still some hints of sludge on the disc in the male hardcore vocal
influenced opener "Exhale 3:02" things do get much softer. "Unspoken
4:47" starts this trend of the band incorporating strong elements of
darkwave music into their sound which I enjoyed, but 98% of people who
wanted to hear sludge will be like "What the fuck?" and I understand how
they might feel there. The sludge still remains but I digress that it
sounds like grunge now more than sludge. "Grounded 3:13" however does
manage to return us to the metal while injecting a fierce dose of 70's
into the mix which reminds me of plain old classic doom with some trippy
influence. "We're Taking This 2:41" is another one of these where
they've chosen to let the male vocalist scream, and boy does he like his
Glassjaw. No thanks, I'll pass on this one.
"Long Gone 3:27"
brings back the darkwave, but adds a nice injection of dirty rock into
the mix which is the thing that great singles are made from. Things get
really hypnotic in the latter portion of the track before it closes with
the chorus. "What Does It Take 2:04" is another one that I'd just be
better off skipping due to it's same indie/punk influence. Just not my
kind of music. "Steady Breakdown 4:48" is about the same thing as "Long
Gone" just with different riff melodies and trippy effects. "Low Tide
3:36" comes in next, bringing an indie rock influence into the music.
Note that I didn't say metal. This definitely sounds like something
you'd expect from Muse, trippy effects included. It's decent, I suppose.
"Vulture's Landing 3:15" is like light thrash mixed with female fronted
indie pop. There are also some trippy solos/effects and such.
"Quicksand 2:35" takes us back to the darkwave, but with more kick and
those damn hardcore vocals in the back. "Drifting 5:26" is the band's
biggest darkwave experiment, at parts it sounds like Autumn's Grey
Solace or Black Tape For A Blue Girl.
You know, I have no idea
what the planning was for this album. It's got indie rock, darkwave,
doom, hints of grunge and sludge still mixed in. I will say that the
female vocals are mesmerizing, and the guitar solos/trippy effects
definitely add a hypnotic vibe to the album. But there are some songs on
the disc that I just don't care for, not one bit in the least; and hope
to never hear anything of their ilk again. Yes, this album is going to
drop many metal fans; but it's something the band felt they needed to do
this time around and perhaps they'll pick all those fans back up with
their next release. It's definitely one of the most unexpected releases
from a band in 2013 and sounds like more of a side project than Kylesa.
This sort of thing really shouldn't have been draped under the Kylesa
moniker.
Highlights: Unspoken, Grounded, Long Gone, Drifting (11 Tracks, 38:00)
6/10
Necroccultus - Solemnelohim, Bringer Of Death (PR2013)
- On this 12' Necroccultus showcase some pretty grueling stuff that
sounds just as grimy and relentless as you'd expect. The spirit of
classic death metal breathes through this release, despite some modern
nuances and it should resonate with those metalheads who remember when
death metal was actually still about death, death and only death; hence
why it was fucking called death metal. Of course, a little bit of
Lovecraft also found his way into the mix, but with deep and pummeling
riffs as the kind that I'm hearing here, it's no surprise. These guys
remind of bands like Hooded Menace, but just seem so much more
threatening. It definitely broods when it's not bashing and offers a few
short solos amidst the onslaught. If you want to beaten over the head
with a drum kit, then Necroccultus have that. But they've so much more
in atmosphere and just a sense of overwhelming darkness that seems
worthy of the name. The title of this album is Solemnohim, Bringer Of
Death; and if we could consider these tracks to be his anthem, then he's
certainly not anyone that I would want to fuck with. There's even a
cyber-demon sort of vocal on "The Equinox Of The Unburied Ones 4:31"
which certainly made me smile with glee. If you're looking for something
that reeks of fucking evil and would put a smile on the disfigured and
terrible visages (could we even call them faces?) of the Great Old Ones,
then I'm certain that you'll find it here.
Not terribly long,
but terribly frightening and terribly brutal. More than likely the kind
of death metal that you've been terribly looking for.
(4 Tracks, 19:00)
7/10
Cadaveric Fumes - Macabre Exaltation (PR2013)
- This 12' release shows Cadaveric Fumes doing what they seem to know
best - occult laden death metal with a flair for the old school and an
emphasis on twisted and macabre atmospheres. "Macabre Exaltation 1:26"
which is here an intro, is the kind of thing that you can trap someone
in a basement and play in the pitch black darkness, to frighten them
with. But the rest of the album does that too, with "Vault Of The
Haunted Mist 4:46" which showcases their raw production, but actually
sounds foggy, like the band is playing in some hidden cave where a
temple to the great Kuloth-Ka resides and smoke vomits forth from a deep
chasm below where the beast god may yet reside. "Gravecrusher 2:54"
however doesn't seem quite as strong as the last track, despite a couple
of good riffs here and there. "Unspeakable Visions 6:20" borrows a bit
from Nile, but explodes into the same sort of Morbid
Angel/Entombed/Cannibal Corpse territory that the band encompasses, but
does it just a hell of a lot more ghastly. There's also a worthy solo.
The disc ends out with some amp fuzz and then "Knowledge Of The Ancient
Ones 5:02" which sounds like it could be a dread march and has some
definite black metal influence, which does creep up on this album from
time to time. One thinks that perhaps this bastard mix of death and
black that they have since created and mixed with the spirit of the old
school might be far more ominous and evil than the blackest of black
metal.
Cadaverous fumes embody the spirit of terror and fury
from unknown and otherworldly forces. If you're looking for the dark,
evil and heavy shit; then this is where you'll find it. Piss off your
parents or your neighbors with this one!
Highlights: Macabre Exaltation, Unspeakable Visions, Knowledge Of The Ancient Ones (5 Tracks, 20:00)
8/10
Burialkult - A Call From Beyond The Grave (PR2013)
- On this CD & LP, Burialkult lay down the fire and fury of black
metal at it's most vile. There's no doubt about it, each and every song
on this monster thrashes like the heaviest shit you've heard and doesn't
bullshit about it. The drums sound like they're right in your eardrums,
and the frontman might as well be screaming these litanies to Satan
right into your brain. "By Satan Possessed 4:29" blasts with no remorse,
no care and no concern; while "Blasphemous Infuneral 3:08" adds the
thunder by really bringing out the thrash. "Throne Of Disease 3:45" goes
completely fucking old school. You've heard this before, but you can't
tell me that you don't like it. "Eternal Satan 4:22" sounds more
garage-band, but that works for me, because the effect is thick, raw and
callous. These guys have a total punk attitude when it comes to black
metal and make this a total tribute to all things fucking kvlt. Then
you've got "Filth 4:50" which sounds just as grimy as you'd expect it
to.
"A Call From Beyond The Grave 4:18" really hits on the
goddamned thrash again, really making a mark for me now. Fuck, these
guys are great! "I Am Torment 3:34" resumes the bashing and "Spell of
Black Vomit 3:01" has that black punk feel which makes me start banging
my head instantly.
When we get to the band's EP, I almost wish
it wasn't included. "Provocations 2:58" is a dark drone intro that
opens up "Necrotormentor 2:49" which is a good little thrasher, but just
doesn't sound as good as the actual LP. "Desecrate The Temple 2:52" is a
little better, but to be honest - I've already heard better material on
the LP.
Burialkult is a black metal act who's out to show the
world what black metal is all about. Thrash, punk and volatility.
There's riff melodies here, but nothing sweet and pretty. Not one bit of
this disc is "nice" or "beautiful." It's all fucking ugly, ugly as
fucking hell. This is the sound of unbridled rage and I loved every
fucking last minute of it. The LP that is. The EP/Demo thing included is
just a bonus and I could take or leave it. But to tell you the truth,
these guys went into the studio and recorded a performance that sounds
as organic as possible, just like it would sound as if you were watching
them live. The guitars scream solos, the drums blaze with venom and
fury and the vocals are absolutely hellish. This is the way black metal
was supposed to sound and even bands like Impiety can't touch this,
despite how fucking good some of their releases are.
Let me tell
you something. I checked out the new Clandestine Blaze album recently. I
liked the last one and figured it would be good too. But then I
listened to this and heard just how fucking bland that new Clandestine
Blaze disc sounded in comparison. It sounded soulless, to tell you the
truth; and as ironic as it is, this shit has soul. Seriously. These guys
fucking believe what they're doing. It reminds me of the work I did in
Unholy Sacrifice when we gave little fucks and sounded as raw as hell,
but continued to play anyway because we fucking enjoyed it. That's the
same vibe that I get with these guys. When you listen to Burialkult,
you're getting 100% RAW AS FUCK BLACK METAL that isn't concerned about
keyboards, clean vocals or beautiful harmonies. This stuff is bathed in
vomit and covered in the blood of human sacrifice... And that's how
black metal should sound.
Highlights: By Satan Possessed,
Blasphemous Infuneral, Throne Of Disease, Eternal Satan, Filth, A Call
From Beyond The Grave, I Am Torment, Spell Of Black Vomit (12 Tracks,
41:00)
10/10
Backyard Mortuary - Lure Of The Occult (PR2013)
- On this 12' LP, Backyard Mortuary completely annihilate six tracks
while partially causing minor damage to "Beyond The Grave 5:48" which
didn't do much for me. It's the opener, but it takes a while to get
started and the drone doesn't do so well as an introduction to an album
that for the most part, ravages without sign of warning. "Mutation 7:18"
hits harder (but I question their use of drums at the beginning of that
one) and finally launches into a gutter-mouthed death metal romp, where
it begins to brood and exude a solo. "Diseased 4:14" starts out this
way that the album should have - quick and to the point. I'll admit that
it does brood for a bit, but then kicks up the speed and gets back to
bashing right before it ends. "Deprivation 5:08" begins with the brood,
and this is great; because it works well here and the vocals accentuate
the feeling of fucking dread. There's nary a hint of speed on this
track, as it mostly dwells in the deepest pits of hopelessness and
carries a catchy chorus along with it. "Macabre Butchery 5:53" starts
off quick, but goes into the groove where it takes a slight break to
showcase the frontman's vocal fury. He's got some amazing fucking pipes
for this material, it comes off as sadistic as one could possibly
expect. There's even a solo for a bit, even though it got muffled. "Lure
Of The Occult 5:05" is next and it shows me that there are some things
done on the kit that I just don't fucking care for. Things pick up with
riffs that resemble an 80's horror movie soundtrack and it works well
until the vocals pick up and change the tempo of the song. The solo
comes back in towards the end of the track and tries again, but it's
still tough to hear him. "Demon's Blood 8:12" ends the disc out in the
same fashion; with a chant of "drink, drink, drink from the chalice of
demon's blood." which I'm wondering what might actually happen to a
person if they did that. Intriguing...
Lure Of The Occult is
good, but it's not great. Some will just find it decent. But there's
always the possibility for stronger releases later on, right?
Highlights: Mutation, Diseased, Deprivation, Macabre Butchery, Lure Of The Occult, Demon's Blood (8 Tracks, 43:00)
7/10
Arceye - At First Light (PR2013)
- Out of all of the promo's I've received, I must say that the press
release for Arceye is one of the largest I've ever skimmed through. It
contained just about everything I could want to know about the band, who
they played with, where they've been featured and several snippets of
other interviews which seem to have people up in arms about these guys.
But to me, they're not really that innovative. However, they do put on
one hell of a great show and showcase that they can play their
instruments well. Acreye is thrash influenced technical melodic death
metal with bits of groove like "The Storm 3:54" which contains the
Pantera chorus injection but gets bogged down by the completely
unnecessary "The Longest Drive 0:57" which is a waste of studio time to
hear a guy play acoustic guitar for less than a minute. Why do bands do
these kinds of things?
"At First Light 6:27" and "I Silently
Wait 5:23" don't offer much more than you've already heard from these
guys - the same thrash/prog/technical sort of metal that carries plenty
of groove riffs and some guitar theatrics sprinkled throughout. Fans of
Lamb Of God, Sylosis and Arsis will eat it up.
However, I was
quite elated to find "Sirius 6:37" on the album and will note that this
is the break from the band's normal "British Redneck Metal" perspective.
"Sirius" is a beautiful piece completely devoid of thrash elements and
carries with it a hint of classical and some rather soothing passages
that show Arceye is capable of much more than the current flavor of the
scene. "Brother Disarmed 5:38" and "Prey Forgiveness 3:53" continue the
band's signature assault, but finally let up when the same "Sirius"
style riff melodies come back for "Damage Done 6:53." The longest song
on the album, this one really works for me by mixing the heavy style of
the band with the unexpected clean vocals. It works better when the
harsh vocals come in later on the track, but then that makes it sound
like doom/death a bit. There's also a keyboard used here, but I don't
think it works - and the solo is absolutely fantastic. These guys
definitely have skill, but they play too much of the same old
death/core/thrash/groove/brutal style that most bands are playing today
which can sound a beat meat headed at best. But they do a damned good
job of that sound and will certainly make you bang your fucking head
which you'll appreciate. It is metal after all, and these guys certainly
seem to deliver on that promise of extremity. "Dusk 1:32" ends out the
disc with a nice folk acoustic which some people will shake their heads
and wonder about and others will just skip.
It's definitely a
sign of evolution for the band, showing that they can not only beat you
over the damned head with their instruments; but that they can also
serenade you with a gaggle of awesome melodies. Arceye certainly has
just as much of a chance as any other big name act of their ilk,
(Sylosis, Arsis, Gojira, Lamb of God) so there's no reason why they
couldn't find a record label for this one. People will play the heck out
of it, it's the kind of thing that surely sells these days.
Highlights: The Storm, Sirius, Damage Done (10 Tracks, 47:00)
8/10
Ashes Of Tyranny - Shrine (Band Request 2013)
- Judging by the album cover, these guys don't have a heck of a lot of
money; but they've sure got the kind of passion I look for in a band.
There's no reason why tracks like "Demolition Man 3:32" shouldn't be
recorded in a huge million dollar studio, because the frontman's vocals
showcase that he's got the kind of tone that sounds well on the ears. As
for the rest of the band, we could consider them a sort of melodic hard
rock/thrash act with some elements of modern metal. "Shrine 3:42"
thrashes a bit but slows down to allow the vocals to come in as a solo
briefly lights up the track. "The Rag Man 4:15" works well enough, it
contains some strong melodies and a powerful chorus ala "Demolition
Man." The ending melodies are particularly potent. "Start The Flood
3:46" is a bit more ballady, but still contains a few heavy riffs in
addition to the first use of harsh vocals on the album.
"Satisfy
7:04" bellows forth with melody and structure, doing much more than a
song of it's type would offer from another band of this type. A slight
bit of acoustic flair follows near the end of the track as harsh vocals
in the vein of deathcore appear again. I will note that I can hear a
great deal of Killswitch Engage influence in the band's sound as far as
these melodies are concerned, and since I've always loved Killswitch for
their melodies; it seems to work the same for me here. "For You 5:27"
is also quite powerful, featuring sullen riffs that lighten with a
strong chorus. The latter part of the track returns the sorrow. "Suffer
6:44" starts out with a vocal approach that might suit pop music, but is
for the most part another sad song with some strong melodies that don't
sound like they came from KSE, but more so from classic heavy metal and
there's nothing wrong with that. There should never BE anything wrong
with that. The disc ends with "Deathbringer 6:01" which further
continues the sorrow albeit some progressive riffs and interesting
drumming. The chorus here is exceptionally powerful, it's definitely one
worthy of a bigger production value.
Ashes Of Tyranny certainly
have promise. As a matter of fact, I hope that someone picks them up,
so that they can re-record some of these songs with better equipment and
higher production value. The passion of this effort combined with the
state of the art technology that we have now could see this album really
thunder and blow away damn near most of the competition. They could
even become a household name. It's not too heavy on the metalcore
influence and not too much on the rock, but has just the right amount of
classic metal melodies and should certainly raise someone's eyebrow.
The whole time I was listening to this, I was thinking "how great would
this song sound on a larger scale?"
Granted, it's not the
heaviest thing you'll ever hear and most of these tracks are essentially
ballads. They did do the right thing with putting "Demolition Man" at
the top of the album, which I could loop for hours. So there's
definitely some thought and strength behind this music. Their singer is
as well suited for pop as he is metal though and that should not sit
well with some of you. But it's worth checking out if you're interested.
Highlights: Demolition Man, For You, Deathbringer (8 Tracks, 40:00)
7.5/10
Drug Honkey - Ghost In The Fire (Band Request 2013)
- Drug Honkey is a sludge band like no other. Sure "Order Of The Solar
Temple 3:52" might sound like just another sludge track, but that's
until you notice that you're being taken on a trip, and it's not a good
one... Take "Ghost In The Fire 5:23" for instance. This track sounds
like what music might sound like if you were on a heavy dose of Heroin
of Methamphetamine. Holy shit. I've never heard anything that's sounded
this fucked up in my entire life. I could literally not believe what was
coming through my earbuds when I was listening to this one. And from
there, your trip begins. There is nothing else to say...
I'm serious. There's nothing else to say. Once you've had the trip, you don't come back the same.
Guitars
influence that trip, but so many other things happen that you just
don't see coming for miles. "Dead Days (Heroin III 6:29)" is where
vocals appear once again, but I just really don't know if what I'm
listening to is a song, or if I'm hallucinating. "Out Of My Mind 5:44"
brings back the sludge vocal elements and the harsh sense of the band,
but it's still part of the trip. Is it the band's frontman, or your own
consciousness that's screaming for release? But there is no release, for
you have to finish the entire trip. "Twitcher 5:37" lightens you up a
little bit, and then finally brings you back into music. There's still
hints of the trip here, but it's all kind of weird and than it just goes
into nothingness, like a fog... Then you think to yourself, "Did I even
listen to this album at all?" and you go back to the first unassuming
sludge track to find that you're about to take the trip all over
again...
Highlights: The trip: Ghost In The Fire, Weight Of The
World, This Time I Won't Hesitate, In Black Robe, Dead Days, Five Years
Up, Out Of My Mind, Twitcher (10 Tracks, 50:00)
9/10
Il Da Morte - Il Da Morte (Band Request 2013)
- Southern death/thrashers Il Da Morte left some messages on The Grim
Tower's FB page requesting that I check them out, so I finally got a
hold of one of the band members and told him to go ahead and send me
some tracks and I'll give it a go. Well, he just that and here's what
I've got to say about these four offerings:
First off, the band
hasn't made a proper EP yet, so we'll consider this a demo in all
respects. Which is good, because I hope with this review; I can give
them a few pointers in how it sounds. "Narcotic Rage 4:56" reminds me of
death metal era Testament and it's got some Pantera groove complete
with light gravel on the vocals. "This Mortal Coil 3:42" definitely
thrashes along just as well, it's quite solid but doesn't offer me much
more. "Kill. Fuck. Hate 5:20" is where the band begins to experiment a
little more and change the structure up just in time. it has a slight
feel of progressive metal, albeit slightly. Don't take that to mean
something that it doesn't. "Skin Puppet 3:11" ends the disc out on a
weak note, not doing much for me once again.
Il Da Morte has
promise, but what I think needs to change is the mixing. The drums just
don't bash enough. I really want to feel the drums in the mix, and they
feel like they're thrown out in the back somewhere. The vocals need to
be tuned down just a bit (they're too much in the front, but if the
drums were louder this point would be moot) and it sounds too clean. The
sound needs to be just a bit rawer and more dirty. It's thrash, not
classical music. But what these guys are doing here is promising, and
with these things in mind; I think they can achieve some notoriety.
Well, some of the songs need a bit more meat on their bones, but that
comes with time and more experience. These guys just together recently,
so I'm not going to expect the world. It's a great effort for what it
is. I'm not sure if this is the kind of review that these guys wanted,
but if I don't tell the truth, then there's no use in doing this kind of
work at all.
(4 Tracks, 17:00)
5.5/10
Scream Machine - Rise Of Machines (FREE EP 2013)
- In daily life, the composer of this work fulfills the same day to day
responsibilities of any normal everyday housewife - cooking, cleaning,
and taking care of the children along with her husband who also shares
in those duties. But what separates her from any other normal housewife;
is that she transforms into her alter ego, SinDelle De Morte and
continues to build on her already massive body of work in the electronic
powerhouse known as Scream Machine. This is the project's second EP for
the year and it is for the most part a teaser for the forthcoming LP.
While
the last EP seemed to deal more with matters of the heart, this new
album returns us to the conspiracy laden material of the project's
previous focus. Five tracks are featured here with high quality
production and a much better series of programs which makes the album
seem professional. "Rise Of Machines (Ft. Resist Concept)" starts out
the disc with promising electronics and some guitar influence as
SinDelle shouts "They're Coming! They're Coming! Rise Of Machines!" It's
a very solid track, definitely showing how well the project has come
along since 2010. "Enemy Of The State 3:10" is next, which certainly
seems to work for the most part, the electronics and SinDelle's
signature approach seem genuine, almost like the narration of a twisted
fairytale and ends with a chorus that needs the backup vocals to come up
just a bit more in the mix. I also kind of laughed when the "Yankee
Doodle" parts of the lyrics came up. I see what she was trying to do
there, but it didn't come off correctly and may sound unintentionally
comical. I think they should've been junked, but the "Ring Around The
Rosie" portion does work well with the "All Fall Down" nature of the
chorus (again, which I wish was louder in the mix and I've no idea why
it was put in the back so low - it would have had more effect in the
forefront.)
"Endgame 4:25" reminds me of a Lucia backed KMFDM
track definitely, except I think there's something missing in the music.
It just doesn't thump like it should and I think the chorus is a bit
repetitive. The first time the chorus is utilized, it works well with
two chorus lines, but the music seems to be made for 2 refrains, which
would be monotonous, so the second refrain is based around "This is the
Endgame x6" which only comes to fruition near the very end of the
refrain, during the scream. Again, I keep thinking of KMFDM when I hear
this one, but something is off.
"The War Machine 4:42" has a
great start up, but I don't like the vocal filter she's using on her
voice for this one. The second part of the song does work much better
however. It still sounds like a cast-off though. The album's last track
is a Suicide Commando remix of "Evacuate 5:45" and it's a decent way to
top off the disc.
Rise Of Machines is free, but I don't think it
really offers that much and seems to be built from tracks that didn't
make the cut for the LP. It feels like some of these tracks are out of
focus, perhaps SinDelle has been hankered down with other things as of
late and hasn't been able to give the project the attention it deserves.
However, this is the heavier side of Scream Machine and for those who
didn't like Moon In Libra, (But how could you not?) this one should
suffice. I'm hoping that the new album shadows both Moon and Machines,
but I'll just have to wait and see. Again, Rise Of Machines is a teaser.
So just take it as that and be ready to expect much more from the
forthcoming disc.
