Communic Waves of Visual Decay
Nuclear Blast NB1656-2 May 19th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Inevitably, Communic were compared to Nevermore when Conspiracy in Mind appeared, and Im not surprised that Waves of Visual Decay fails to veer from the beaten path. I mean, when the songs are this well-written, the music is of exceptional caliber, and fans of the long-running Americans have another group to turn to when This Godless Endeavor needs temporary shelving, why should these Norwegians fix the unbroken?
I hate to drop a bomb this late in the review, but you must understand that I dont like Nevermore enough to listen to them, yet I envision reaching for Waves of Visual Decay from time to time. Similar to Conspiracy in Mind, their latest opus is almost an hour long, presenting seven lengthy tracks for your approval. And honestly, its tough not to be swayed by the crunch that this trio so expertly wields. While I dont enthusiastically guzzle all of what spews from the tap, the end of almost every song is priceless Under a Luminous Sky, Frozen Asleep in the Park, Fooled by the Serpent, My Bleeding Victim, and At Dewy Prime. Sometimes the riffs alone are worth the price of admission. Likewise, except for Watching It All Disappear, a low-key affair, and Waves of Visual Decay, a subpar effort when held up to its peers, the instrumental portions are killer. The production is spacious, and theres also enough edge to slice even the most calloused skin. Stenslands clean vocals perhaps an acquired taste surely arent this threesomes overt weakness, if his singing can be deemed a weakness in the first place.
However, in spite of my initial praise, I fear Communic will be pushed to recommended status as long as Nevermore occupy the required listening slot in many a metalheads mind, and it certainly doesnt help matters if the former arent willing to stray from the latter at some point in the future. Still, maybe said observation works in their favor. As a unit, they may not quite measure up to the top dogs when rank is involved, but Communic are evidently hell-bent on making waves. And in a sense, I suppose they just did.
7.5/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Communic Website
Official Nuclear Blast Website
Nuclear Blast NB1656-2 May 19th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Inevitably, Communic were compared to Nevermore when Conspiracy in Mind appeared, and Im not surprised that Waves of Visual Decay fails to veer from the beaten path. I mean, when the songs are this well-written, the music is of exceptional caliber, and fans of the long-running Americans have another group to turn to when This Godless Endeavor needs temporary shelving, why should these Norwegians fix the unbroken?
I hate to drop a bomb this late in the review, but you must understand that I dont like Nevermore enough to listen to them, yet I envision reaching for Waves of Visual Decay from time to time. Similar to Conspiracy in Mind, their latest opus is almost an hour long, presenting seven lengthy tracks for your approval. And honestly, its tough not to be swayed by the crunch that this trio so expertly wields. While I dont enthusiastically guzzle all of what spews from the tap, the end of almost every song is priceless Under a Luminous Sky, Frozen Asleep in the Park, Fooled by the Serpent, My Bleeding Victim, and At Dewy Prime. Sometimes the riffs alone are worth the price of admission. Likewise, except for Watching It All Disappear, a low-key affair, and Waves of Visual Decay, a subpar effort when held up to its peers, the instrumental portions are killer. The production is spacious, and theres also enough edge to slice even the most calloused skin. Stenslands clean vocals perhaps an acquired taste surely arent this threesomes overt weakness, if his singing can be deemed a weakness in the first place.
However, in spite of my initial praise, I fear Communic will be pushed to recommended status as long as Nevermore occupy the required listening slot in many a metalheads mind, and it certainly doesnt help matters if the former arent willing to stray from the latter at some point in the future. Still, maybe said observation works in their favor. As a unit, they may not quite measure up to the top dogs when rank is involved, but Communic are evidently hell-bent on making waves. And in a sense, I suppose they just did.
7.5/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Communic Website
Official Nuclear Blast Website
