Elysium Feedback
Metal Mind Records - 2003
By Adam McAuley
Feedback is a fairly solid album that has slightly rejuvenated my interest in melo-death metal. The scene has arguably been producing some quality bands in recent times, but most of them are less well known, and I haven't been incredibly intrigued by what I've heard. I long for the days of Slaughter of the Soul and The Gallery, but haven't been overly impressed by recent melo-death bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and Omnium Gatherum. Many people find the present melo-death enjoyable, but most of the material I've heard is either a boring rehash of At the Gates' glory days, or too frugal sounding to catch my attention.
Not the case with Elysium. This bunch from Poland have taken the blueprint laid down by the likes of AtG and successfully made their own distinct brand of melo-death, with a slight black metal influence. The production is very prominent on Feedback, giving the guitars a huge chunky sound that leaves an impression rather than fading from memory. Sections have a tendency to explode out of nowhere, and the amount of riff variation is laudable. Expect plenty of dual-guitar interplay and catchy songs, but nothing particularly original if you've already heard many bands in the genre. The quality of the tracks themselves is fairly consistent throughout, and the transitions between songs make everything run together smoothly. Despite being derivative, this is quite a fun little album, and something to check out, particularly if you're a fan of At the Gates or Dark Tranquility.
7.5/10
[url="http://www.metalmind.com.pl/]Metal Mind Records Website[/url]
[url="http://www.elysium.metal.pl]Official Elysium Website[/url]
Metal Mind Records - 2003
By Adam McAuley
Feedback is a fairly solid album that has slightly rejuvenated my interest in melo-death metal. The scene has arguably been producing some quality bands in recent times, but most of them are less well known, and I haven't been incredibly intrigued by what I've heard. I long for the days of Slaughter of the Soul and The Gallery, but haven't been overly impressed by recent melo-death bands like The Black Dahlia Murder and Omnium Gatherum. Many people find the present melo-death enjoyable, but most of the material I've heard is either a boring rehash of At the Gates' glory days, or too frugal sounding to catch my attention.
Not the case with Elysium. This bunch from Poland have taken the blueprint laid down by the likes of AtG and successfully made their own distinct brand of melo-death, with a slight black metal influence. The production is very prominent on Feedback, giving the guitars a huge chunky sound that leaves an impression rather than fading from memory. Sections have a tendency to explode out of nowhere, and the amount of riff variation is laudable. Expect plenty of dual-guitar interplay and catchy songs, but nothing particularly original if you've already heard many bands in the genre. The quality of the tracks themselves is fairly consistent throughout, and the transitions between songs make everything run together smoothly. Despite being derivative, this is quite a fun little album, and something to check out, particularly if you're a fan of At the Gates or Dark Tranquility.
7.5/10
[url="http://www.metalmind.com.pl/]Metal Mind Records Website[/url]
[url="http://www.elysium.metal.pl]Official Elysium Website[/url]
