Balance Of Silence - Forcing Samsara
Self-released - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
Other than the fact that it's mastered at a somewhat lower volume than some of my other CDs, there's very little to give away the fact that the UK's Balance Of Silence are an unsigned band, or that Forcing Samsara is a self-released EP. The production sounds of professional quality, the musicianship is proficient and tight - here we have a band that are very much ready to be signed, with little polishing required. The first two tracks, 'Forcing Samsara' and 'Desire In Mind' manage to sound like Killswitch Engage with their metalcore crunch and stomp, but with a particularly Iron Maiden-esque ear for melody with some of the riffage and, particularly, the solos. Not fantastically original, perhaps, but very catchy, suitably heavy, and thoroughly contemporary.
It's only when 'Looking Over' closes the EP that you start to see the heights Balance Of Silence are capable of reaching - the guitar melody that opens the track rivals Suspiria's 'Chemistry' for sheer hook-in-the-brain catchiness, and over the rest of the 6:22 duration of the track, the quintet unveil a knack for epic-sounding song structures, with that opening riff being reprised as an acoustic backing for an extended lead break complete with NWOBHM soloing, before the crunchy metalcore-ness comes back, seemingly so much more crushing because of what came before.
Vocalist LiXu should be singled out for praise, as his roaring, harsh vocals contrast well with his youthful, melodious clean-singing voice to impressive effect. Andy and Tewkes, also, deserve commendation for their tight, controlled riffage and knacks for a solo. The group as a whole most definitely have a shot at being big with their combined talents, although personally, I'd prefer to see the more epic feel of 'Looking Over' carried on, rather than the less imaginative (but, presumable, more commercially appealing) metalcore of the first two tracks. Time will tell...
7.5/10
Official Balance of Silence Website
Self-released - 2005
By Philip Whitehouse
Other than the fact that it's mastered at a somewhat lower volume than some of my other CDs, there's very little to give away the fact that the UK's Balance Of Silence are an unsigned band, or that Forcing Samsara is a self-released EP. The production sounds of professional quality, the musicianship is proficient and tight - here we have a band that are very much ready to be signed, with little polishing required. The first two tracks, 'Forcing Samsara' and 'Desire In Mind' manage to sound like Killswitch Engage with their metalcore crunch and stomp, but with a particularly Iron Maiden-esque ear for melody with some of the riffage and, particularly, the solos. Not fantastically original, perhaps, but very catchy, suitably heavy, and thoroughly contemporary.
It's only when 'Looking Over' closes the EP that you start to see the heights Balance Of Silence are capable of reaching - the guitar melody that opens the track rivals Suspiria's 'Chemistry' for sheer hook-in-the-brain catchiness, and over the rest of the 6:22 duration of the track, the quintet unveil a knack for epic-sounding song structures, with that opening riff being reprised as an acoustic backing for an extended lead break complete with NWOBHM soloing, before the crunchy metalcore-ness comes back, seemingly so much more crushing because of what came before.
Vocalist LiXu should be singled out for praise, as his roaring, harsh vocals contrast well with his youthful, melodious clean-singing voice to impressive effect. Andy and Tewkes, also, deserve commendation for their tight, controlled riffage and knacks for a solo. The group as a whole most definitely have a shot at being big with their combined talents, although personally, I'd prefer to see the more epic feel of 'Looking Over' carried on, rather than the less imaginative (but, presumable, more commercially appealing) metalcore of the first two tracks. Time will tell...
7.5/10
Official Balance of Silence Website
