Daysend Severance
Metal Blade Records 2004
By Russell Garwood
Australias Daysend provide a competent mix of metalcore and melodic death, All That Remains style. Severance has plenty of variation, with melodic heavy parts, cleaner sections and harsher metallic attacks all on display. Occasional moments even ring of nu-metal. The vocals are excellent, switching between clean singing, a rougher sung tone and caustic, emo-tinged screams. Each style is used to great effect, and the contrast between them helps add variation. The guitars are melodic and tight, providing some great hooks and strong momentum. Beneath this the precise rhythm section has no trouble keeping up with sporadic tricky time changes; drums are diverse, with occasional blasts, many excellent fills, and some driving beats, while the bass is solid, if not particularly prominent. There is a notable technicality to the music that is rarely found in the style.
Severance can feel slightly derivative - rather than having a unique style, the bands music often feels more like an amalgamation of its influences. The similarities between tracks may also present a problem to some. That said, there is lots of emotion in the music, it is well written, capably performed, and accessible enough to be enjoyable from the first listen. A solid release, well worth checking out for metalcore fans.
7/10
Official Metalblade Records website
Metal Blade Records 2004
By Russell Garwood
Australias Daysend provide a competent mix of metalcore and melodic death, All That Remains style. Severance has plenty of variation, with melodic heavy parts, cleaner sections and harsher metallic attacks all on display. Occasional moments even ring of nu-metal. The vocals are excellent, switching between clean singing, a rougher sung tone and caustic, emo-tinged screams. Each style is used to great effect, and the contrast between them helps add variation. The guitars are melodic and tight, providing some great hooks and strong momentum. Beneath this the precise rhythm section has no trouble keeping up with sporadic tricky time changes; drums are diverse, with occasional blasts, many excellent fills, and some driving beats, while the bass is solid, if not particularly prominent. There is a notable technicality to the music that is rarely found in the style.
Severance can feel slightly derivative - rather than having a unique style, the bands music often feels more like an amalgamation of its influences. The similarities between tracks may also present a problem to some. That said, there is lots of emotion in the music, it is well written, capably performed, and accessible enough to be enjoyable from the first listen. A solid release, well worth checking out for metalcore fans.
7/10
Official Metalblade Records website
