Any hope for Soilwork?

[General Zod]

I just read that they have completed recording their next CD and that it's being mixed now. I think this band has a lot of talent, but they currently seem more interested in making their sound more accessible. I would love it if they could find a healthy balance between the aggression of APP and the polish of NBC (obviously they're never revisiting their TCM or SBS days) . However, I'm guessing that's not in the cards, and that their music will continue to grow less aggressive.

Thoughts?

Zod

 

[J.]

Did they ever have any hope? THey've always been second tier as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry, shameless bashing.

 

[Black Winter Day]

The only worthwhile release they've ever had is NBC, which by most standards is pretty fuckin' remarkable. APP is decent, but godalmighty does FN5 ever suck! They released it too soon, it seemed forced and trite. A shame. I really liked the direction they were going.

 

[jimbobhickville]

I concur with BWD's assessment. NBC is the only one I bothered to buy. I listen to it every few months or so.

 

[Reign in Acai]

The first 3 albums blow their wad all over NBC. Go get A Predator's Portrait. Some catchy fucking choruses in that album. And catchy in a good way, not a gay linkin park way.

 

[Black Winter Day]

I agree that APP is good in the melody/songwriting department, but seriously... when so many other bands do it much better, why even bother with bands like Soilwork?

Also, their first 2 albums are decent attempts at copying "Slaughter of the Soul." Other than that... what else is to be said?

 

[Dark One]

The first 3 albums blow their wad all over NBC. Go get A Predator's Portrait. Some catchy fucking choruses in that album. And catchy in a good way, not a gay linkin park way.

Agreed. And as far as there being any hope for Soilwork? It's simply a matter of "do you like their direction?" or "do you not like their direction?". I think the majority of us would agree that we "do not like their direction" and therefore fail to see much "hope" in terms of Soilwork producing an album that appeals to fans of their past sound.

 

[JayKeeley]

Yeah, when I was new to the genre, I was all giddly like a teenage school girl in crotchless panties. Now I just feel like an old granny in soiled adult diapers.

NBC is a nice album. It has its place on a hot summer day, driving downtown, with those soaring vocals, and it's the one time I think the Devin Townsend influence improves things. APP was cool too, I just don't listen to any of this anymore, regardless of the fact that FNF sucks ass.

It's just a genre with a short shelf life. Nothing more to explore, so I can narrow down my collection to:

- the first two In Flames albums
- Slaughter of the Soul
- The Gallery

There are others of course, but these are really the only ones I would still listen to, so I'm just being honest.

(Eucharist are above and beyond the genre).

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh and like Eucharist, I don't classify early At the Gates along with the rest of the scene. I don't know, there's just an obvious different vibe to it.

 

[JayKeeley]

Well, The Gallery maybe...especially if you keep Jester Race me thinks.

 

[NAD]

Oh and like Eucharist, I don't classify early At the Gates along with the rest of the scene. I don't know, there's just an obvious different vibe to it.

The vibe is called "forging and mastering a scene instead of copying it."

 

[JayKeeley]

The vibe is called "forging and mastering a scene instead of copying it."

Aha! I knew there was something special...

It's totally different though.

We're talking about a scene as well, right? Fans of "Jester Race" will listen to "The Gallery" with some ease, and vice versa, and probably enjoy both. However, this may not transfer over to albums like "Velvet Creation" or "TRITSIO".

But yeah, I know what you're saying.

There is crap and then there is great. There isn't much middle ground in melo-death for some reason. Even if it's 'good', it normally means it can be dismissed.

 

[JayKeeley]

You're following a band through nostalgia? I think you're getting old.

 

[General Zod]

Agreed. And as far as there being any hope for Soilwork? It's simply a matter of "do you like their direction?" or "do you not like their direction?".

Well, I didn't like the direction of FNF. However, I thought NBC was a real solid disc. I'm hoping they up the agression on this disc, because I do like what they do. Though I don't have high expectations for this CD.

Zod

 

[speed]

I dig Chainheart Machine, Steelbath, and Predators Portrait, but the last few albums are awful. And no, I did not take my name from Speed Strid.

I dont really think there is any hope for them, the style of the first three albums would seem stale if they reprised it, and the new direction is going nowhere.

 

[Demonspell]

They're definitely in a no-win situation, having largely shed the second-rate melodic death stigma only to get stuck in a commercial rut...unless they go in a completely different direction, I'm guessing it will be another simplistic non-effort...

 

[JayKeeley]

The funniest thing is how all these Gothenburg bands decided to jump on to the nuMetal bandwagon....just when the American mainstream decided that nuMetal was dead. Ha ha.

 

[J.]

THe only melo-death I listen to is the more aggressive brand like Arghoslent, Rudra, and The Chasm (which is borderline)

 

[speed]

I still like the idea of melody in death metal, however the gothenberg style of Iron Maiden death metal with choruses just never did it for me. I still listen to Dark Tranquility quite often. Argholesent is quite excellent- Now theres the way to incorporate melody into death metal.

It is hilarious that these bands hit the numetal bandwagon 3 years too late. Hahaha they will never make the comfortable living of exploiting impressionable adolescent and confused white trash as they so hoped.

 

[General Zod]

The funniest thing is how all these Gothenburg bands decided to jump on to the nuMetal bandwagon....just when the American mainstream decided that nuMetal was dead. Ha ha.

What's more ironic is how few of them are actually cut out to do it. In Flames is so bad at it, it's almost funny. Singing a chorus using clean vocals requires something resembling singing. Anders often sounds like Elmer Fudd after a hard night of drinking.

Zod