Not to be confused with the "What are you listening to" thread, this is a place to write your own reviews of current and past albums. There is no limit to the time period or genre. I tend to write a lot of reviews on current releases, yet i've been known to dabble in past releases as well.
I hope to see everyone contribute and get to read some killer work!
To start us off:
Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe
The field of Scandinavian death metal is, to say the very least, a crowded one. With a seemingly endless stream of bands wanting to jump on the “Maiden on steroids” bandwagon, it is difficult to filter the generic, overdone nonsense from the numerous quality bands that have come from this genre in recent years. Scar Symmetry, while still a young band in the grand scheme of the scene, have quickly risen to the top tier of the melodic death metal elite, easily standing proud beside forefathers At the Gates, In Flames, and so forth. With their third album “Holographic Universe,” they show no signs of letting up, and deliver an album of crushing brutality, enchanting beauty, and surprising originality.
“Holographic Universe” has all of the trademark elements that have made this band such an instant success. The heavy guitars coupled with the speedy melodic shred characteristic of the genre are in full force, and the band actually manages to pull out distinctly unique and catchy melodies alongside well structured rhythm. The vocals consist of a wide range of styles, from deep, demonic growls, high shrieks, to impressive and melodic clean vocals (shockingly soulful at times). Christian Akveston has an immensely powerful voice, and his ability to belt out quality choruses without sounding too singalong has solidified him as a voice in metal to keep watch on.
The typical rhythm section accompanies the tracks, with no shortage of blasting double bass and the occasional strong progressive influence. The bass guitar does the job, although does not really stand out in any particular fashion, serving as more of a distant background noise rather than an integral part of the music.
This album truly sets itself apart from their previous works, and more importantly, from many of the bands modern contemporaries, with their unique and effective incorporation of keyboards into the music. While this has always been a constant for the band, and certainly isn’t a new concept to the style, this particular record employs said keys in a most artistically impressive, fantastic way. The album’s themes revolve around space, interstellar travel, and the dark unknowns. These themes are poignantly conveyed through a massive array of samples, effects, and powerful passages. There is a fair amount of key/guitar dueling, which is always pleasant if not overdone in the pompous manner of many straight progressive bands.
The band experiments a lot with their sound, and while the album is still firmly entrenched in the melodic death metal camp, it strives constantly to stretch beyond, keeping the listener guessing in the midst of impossible to subdue bursts of passionate headbanging. Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of this release is the ten minute epic title track. Suffice to say, after numerous spins, this track is without a doubt one of the best of their career, and will keep the listener entranced for a long time to come. These Swedish metalheads have done it again, and the future releases of 2008 (of which there are many) will be hard pressed to top this one.
Songs to watch out for: Quantum Leaper, Ghost Prototype (1 and 2) and of course the monster title track Holographic Universe.
- Marc
I hope to see everyone contribute and get to read some killer work!
To start us off:
Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe
The field of Scandinavian death metal is, to say the very least, a crowded one. With a seemingly endless stream of bands wanting to jump on the “Maiden on steroids” bandwagon, it is difficult to filter the generic, overdone nonsense from the numerous quality bands that have come from this genre in recent years. Scar Symmetry, while still a young band in the grand scheme of the scene, have quickly risen to the top tier of the melodic death metal elite, easily standing proud beside forefathers At the Gates, In Flames, and so forth. With their third album “Holographic Universe,” they show no signs of letting up, and deliver an album of crushing brutality, enchanting beauty, and surprising originality.
“Holographic Universe” has all of the trademark elements that have made this band such an instant success. The heavy guitars coupled with the speedy melodic shred characteristic of the genre are in full force, and the band actually manages to pull out distinctly unique and catchy melodies alongside well structured rhythm. The vocals consist of a wide range of styles, from deep, demonic growls, high shrieks, to impressive and melodic clean vocals (shockingly soulful at times). Christian Akveston has an immensely powerful voice, and his ability to belt out quality choruses without sounding too singalong has solidified him as a voice in metal to keep watch on.
The typical rhythm section accompanies the tracks, with no shortage of blasting double bass and the occasional strong progressive influence. The bass guitar does the job, although does not really stand out in any particular fashion, serving as more of a distant background noise rather than an integral part of the music.
This album truly sets itself apart from their previous works, and more importantly, from many of the bands modern contemporaries, with their unique and effective incorporation of keyboards into the music. While this has always been a constant for the band, and certainly isn’t a new concept to the style, this particular record employs said keys in a most artistically impressive, fantastic way. The album’s themes revolve around space, interstellar travel, and the dark unknowns. These themes are poignantly conveyed through a massive array of samples, effects, and powerful passages. There is a fair amount of key/guitar dueling, which is always pleasant if not overdone in the pompous manner of many straight progressive bands.
The band experiments a lot with their sound, and while the album is still firmly entrenched in the melodic death metal camp, it strives constantly to stretch beyond, keeping the listener guessing in the midst of impossible to subdue bursts of passionate headbanging. Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of this release is the ten minute epic title track. Suffice to say, after numerous spins, this track is without a doubt one of the best of their career, and will keep the listener entranced for a long time to come. These Swedish metalheads have done it again, and the future releases of 2008 (of which there are many) will be hard pressed to top this one.
Songs to watch out for: Quantum Leaper, Ghost Prototype (1 and 2) and of course the monster title track Holographic Universe.
- Marc
