http://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/cdalla-f.htm
Hailing from Italy, Fightcast are new entrants into the melodic death metal genre. Breeding a Divinity is the bands first full-length album that follows their self-produced demo from a few years back. For what its worth, Breeding a Divinity is the debut release from Kolony Records.
Breeding a Divinity represents a set of competently played, sufficiently energetic melodic death metal songs. For a genre that got its start in the small town of Gothenburg, Sweden more than a decade ago its amazing to consider the world-wide impact melodic death metal has had on inspiring new musicians.
Its clear that Fightcast have infused their sound with the heavyweights of the genre this is fine for some, but may turn off those already fatigued by the now-saturated melodic death metal sound. The bands effort isnt enough to save an overcrowded genre, but it is solid and easy to listen to.
Fightcast sounds most like Soilwork although the band draws equally (and expertly) from the similar but unique sounds of Killswitch Engage and In Flames.
http://www.ox-fanzine.de/web/rev/64677/reviews.207.html
Krass, wie schnelllebig Musik sein kann. 2004 noch wäre Breeding A Divinity ein potenzieller 8-Punkte-Kandidat gewesen, 2008 sorgt es für gähnende Langeweile. Hier ist Metalcore angesagt, absolut gesichts- und ideenlos.
Das haben Dutzende Bands, selbst aus der zweiten Liga, schon um Längen besser gemacht, und genau da liegt das Problem: FIGHTCAST müssen sich mit allem messen, was in den letzten vier, fünf Jahren im Metalcore passiert ist.
Und mit Bands vom Kaliber KILLSWITCH ENGAGE können sie weder in technischer noch in songwriterischer Hinsicht mithalten. Aber vielleicht wird das ja mit dem nächsten Album was.
http://www.metalfanatix.com/album/fightcast.html
A few years ago in 2004 Fightcast released a MCD-demo Killer Goodfellas Family the same year the band was founded. Now this metalcore band from Cesena, Italy has just released their first full-length CD with the name of Breeding A Divinity for the brand new label Kolony Records.
There is a selection of heavy riffs that I enjoyed quite a bit on this album. Their more aggressive and heavy style hit me like a blast from a tank. Its probably due to the bottom heavy tuning of their guitars that give them an added deep tone. Very addicting for the avid fan of heavy music. The brutal, heavy breakdowns also add to their composition. Another element worth mentioning are the decent yet soulful solos. They arent super intense or overcomplicated, but they seem to be have much emotion. Melodic harmonies and choruses are good for the most part as well. Abrasive growls/screams are used as a mainstay in the songs but are mixed with a clean singing approach during choruses.
The heavy and melodic have a nice balance on Breeding A Divinity. The main riffs of the songs seem to be more on the heavy side, while the choruses have the more melodic side. Though its probably intentional, the choruses cool off the intensity of each song. I personally like the heavier side of the band and would enjoy this more if the choruses werent so calm compared to the body of the songs.
Nothing blew me away on Breeding A Divinity, but everything is pretty solid throughout the 9 songs and 34 minutes. You can check the bands music video for The White Pitch on Youtube.com and may get more of a feel for this band. Fans of the more modern version of In Flames, Soilwork and Killswitch Engage will probably dive right into the Fightcast pit.
http://www.metalunderground.com/reviews/details.cfm?releaseid=1411
To write a review of Fightcasts debut release, "Breeding a Divinity," without using the word "metalcore" is quite impossible. "Breeding a Divinity" comes from Kolony Records, which shares their debut as a label with this album. Hailing from Italy, I was impressed to see them labelled as a metalcore outfit, because Italys metal market has been dominated strongly by power metal bands such as "Elvenking" and "Rhapsody of Fire." Although not spectacular in any form, this release shows chops and promise, two things that will hold them over until their sophomore release.
Fightcasts sound follows what has been deemed the standard metalcore formula of modern metal. However, excluding the song "The White Pitch," the sound of this album is anything but generic; it is good metal music. Being a metalhead obsessed on guitar talent, speed, and quality, the guitarwork impresses, as it's catchy and wild in every song. The guitars sound thrashy in some parts, with many tracks holding long riff sequences. There are breakdowns that sound natural rather than forced because it may sound good in concert. There are dual-lead harmonic moments that I heard, and as they ended I wanted more.
The vocals are harsh and young, showing great potential for their future albums. The choruses are often melodic and melodramatic - the type you will find from more melodic metalcore and emo bands. The mix is tight, but the melodic vocals can get a bit out of focus as per the rest of the album. The production quality was adequate. I was not expecting this type of quality for independent label first-timers, but it isnt quite the same production quality that the popular metal bands have the leisure to enjoy. The vocals bothered me in the mix a bit, as they seemed to come out too strong, especially when the riffs are so clear to listen to.
In essence, a lot has been done with little. The songwriting and quality is good considering how young these guys are. Nothing really shines except ironically the last title track "Breeding a Divinity." It is a two-minute outro that can work as an intro just as well. It blends various effects with a cool drum beat that sounds like youre in a club. How this pertains to the title I am not sure, but it does make you wonder.
The outcome of "Breeding a Divinity" as a whole is a tightly produced album with great talent and a very promising career of a solid metalcore band. One listen will not blow you away, but will make you interested at the minimum. And that deserves a better then good rating.
Highs: Catchy and wild guitar riffs, great harsh vocals, and interesting title track.
Lows: Production quality isn't spectacular, many tracks don't stand out.
Bottom line: A solid, tight debut album from a potentially groundbreaking Italian metalcore band
http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/Articles.aspx?id=2-5521
Newcomers Fightcast burst forth from their corner, ready to take on the heavyweights of metalcore. Despite a prolonged attempt, they present an unremarkable jab at the genre, albeit with a greater dose of Swedish melody than their tattooed brethren. The grooving melodies are not particularly engaging, and the same goes for the breakdowns. The clean vocals are horrible, but off-key vocals are the standard for this style. Even worse than the vocals is the presumably experimental electronic rubbish that ends the album, the very definition of filler. Maybe they will improve on their sophomore effort, but they are down for the count in this round.
http://www.rockline.it/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=2918
Con alle spalle unesperienza da opening act dei celebri Caliban, Linea 77 e The Agony Scene, gli italiani Fightcast completano e danno finalmente alle stampe il primo capitolo discografico, Breeding A Divinity, registrato alla fine del 2007. Il debutto si presenta carico dellatmosfera tipica degli ultimi album di In Flames e Soilwork, unendo però un approccio Metalcore che conferisce una buona elaborazione interna: tuttavia il genere proposto non è innovativo né per il panorama internazionale né per quello italiano, che allinizio del Duemila ha visto esplodere le ottime realtà di Disarmonia Mundi e Slowmotion Apocalypse.
Anche i Fightcast comunque mostrano soluzioni interessanti, soprattutto nel caso delle aperture melodiche in cui sfocia ciascuna canzone di Breeding A Divinity; lopener Poison Cage fa immediatamente pensare ad un misto tra Killswitch Engage (per il tessuto strumentale) e Soilwork (la voce growl davvero convincente di Filippo Tellerini). Il disco è completamente giocato sullalternanza di sezioni più incisive, ben strutturate ed in grado di unire con efficacia le due diverse tradizioni Death melodico e Metalcore, e di intervalli distesi. I ritornelli subiscono profondamente linfluenza Soilwork, ma costituiscono in ogni caso un coinvolgente veicolo di emozioni, grazie anche alle riprese fulminee e alle architetture non scontate delle chitarre.
Cè spazio inoltre per momenti riflessivi, come la breve introduzione Chrome Within, che prepara lascoltatore alla nuova tagliente scarica di ritmo della successiva New Shade Behind; una maggiore disomogeneità di proposta nellambito dei ritornelli avrebbe però giovato alla resa dellalbum, perché le tracce dei Fightcast nellapproccio si somigliano parecchio lun laltra.
Tuttavia attraverso la notevole produzione garantita dalletichetta Kolony Records e la professionalità dimostrata nellambito compositivo, lascoltatore si sentirà travolto dal vortice Fightcast, una dimensione fatta di aggressività ma anche di passione.
Non si sta parlando di unopera perfetta nellambito interpretativo, poiché pezzi come Illogical Trip o la sperimentale title-track Breeding A Divinity appesantiscono landamento e non brillano per inventiva, ma si deve considerare sia la giovane età della band, sia la loro breve attività musicale.
Si auspica pertanto che questa promettente realtà di Cesena riesca a continuare sulla strada finora percorsa, senza scadere in scelte gratuitamente commerciali e senza lasciarsi trasportare dalla momentanea moda del Metalcore. Il genere può dare sfoggio di lavori significativi solo quando le band emergenti non si perdono nei meandri dei cliché che i maestri internazionali hanno imposto dellultima decade: la scena italiana si sta muovendo bene da qualche anno e formazioni come i Fightcast possono garantire un ulteriore contributo allevoluzione del genere.
http://www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=albums&id=8046
En ihan oikeasti muista, että olisin arvioinut yhtäkään hyvää italialaista metallilevyä. Fightcastin Breeding A Divinity ei tee poikkeusta sääntöön - tällä kertaa kyseessä on todella hajuton ja mauton metalcore levy.
Mitä isompi edellä, sitä pienempi perässä: kuten jenkkilässäkin tehdään, on italian pojilla kappaleiden rakenteet jotain alokasmaista. Biiseistä ei ole tietoakaan, vaan kappaleet koostuvat erilaisista osista, joihin hypitään ilman sen kummempia sidoksia tai pehmeitä laskuja: korinasäkeistö loppuu kuin seinään emohtavan kertosäkeen alta. Ja yllätys, melodiathan ovat TIETENKIN Göteborg-pastisseja, eikä sieluttomia breakdownejakaan ole unohdettu.
Tätä puuroa on popsittu niin monta kattilallista, ettei Fightcast nouse uutukaisellaan edes keskikastiin. Alan olla kurkkua myöten täynnä näitä epämusiikki-levyjä, täysin turhanpäiväinen ja tylsä levy.
http://www.metalfan.nl/reviews.php?id=4806
Volgens de informatie van het platenlabel zou ik, als liefhebber van Soilwork, omver geblazen worden door Breeding A Divinity van het Italiaanse Fightcast. Dat zijn veelbelovende woorden voor een debuutplaat. Nu wisten Italiaanse bands mij vooralsnog te teleurstellen met hun werk, maar zou daar nou eindelijk verandering in gebracht worden?
En weer moet ik van afkeuring mijn hoofd schudden. Dit is niet meer dan een ordinaire parodie op Soilwork. In elke riff, in elk stukje zang en in elke breakdown hoor je het. Alles is gewoon gekopieërd van de Zweedse band. Hoe moeilijk is het nou om gewoon met iets origineels op de proppen te komen? Wat een ongefundeerde bagger is dit. Niet meer en niet minder.
Het meest tergende van de plaat is wel weer de cleane zang. Ik heb niks tegen cleane zang als de vocalist in kwestie goed kan zingen. Maar als ze het niet kunnen, proberen ze zo'n emo-achtige klank uit hun keel te persen. Nu ben ik daar al geen fan van, maar het kan er op zijn tijd nog net doorheen. Hier niet. Dit is gewoon een enorm slechte poging tot een cleane klank te produceren.
Van Breeding A Divinity word ik enorm chagrijnig en lijkt het alsof ik een ernstige migraine aan het oplopen ben. Als liefhebbers van In Flames, Soilwork en The Haunted dit cd'tje zien liggen, dan moeten ze er maar met een enorme boog omheen lopen. Wat een troep is dit.
http://www.metallized.it/recensione.php?id=2003
Nati nel 2004 a Cesena, e attraversata l'attività live di routine di supporto a band come Extrema, Caliban e Linea 77, i Fightcast giungono al loro debutto discografico attraverso la neonata Kolony Records. Non credo certo di rivelarvi chissà quale arcana verità affermando che al giorno d'oggi, per spiccare nel vastissimo mondo del metalcore, serva fare qualcosa di particolare e interessante. I Fightcast ci riescono solo a metà, producendo un album che comunque si configura come un esordio positivo e di buon auspicio per il futuro.
Gli elementi sono sostanzialmente quelli del metalcore più classico: riff melodici alla base di ogni pezzo, ma affiancati da una sezione ritmica che tradisce una certa cattiveria, il tutto unito dalla voce che spazia dallo screaming più esasperato al cantato pulito.
Molto convincente soprattutto per quello che riguarda la sezione ritmica, capace di improvvisi e ottimi cambi di ritmo, la band mostra però alcuni limiti, sicuramente superabili, nel songwriting di alcune parti melodiche e della grande parte dei ritornelli.
Se infatti nelle sezioni più ritmate l'ascoltatore viene piacevolmente coinvolto grazie alla grande potenza espressa dalla band, alla buona produzione che ci restituisce un suono sufficientemente cattivo, ma soprattutto allo screaming di Filippo Tellerini, i ritornelli sanno tutti terribilmente di già sentito, e in alcuni (pochi, a dire il vero) casi sono talmente catchy da sembrare buoni per una canzone pop (soprattutto quello di New Shade Behind).
Non mancano tuttavia momenti davvero ottimi, come la buonissima Charlie B. o Poison Cage, in cui anche i ritornelli melodici assumono un loro significato e non stonano col resto della composizione, ma anche le altre canzoni, pur con tutti i limiti di cui sopra, riescono perlomeno gradite all'ascoltatore, anche grazie alla loro non eccessiva lunghezza ( 9 tracce per 34 minuti di musica) che evita che la noia si faccia presto strada.
In attesa di una nuova uscita che possa infine segnare un passo verso un sound più personale, ci godiamo questo Breeding A Divinity, specialmente se siamo grandi fan del metalcore in stile Killswitch Engage o Soilwork.
http://www.sonicfrontiers.net/php/review_224
It's interesting the way metalcore has taken root in Europe over the past couple years. What started as a distinctly American phenomenon has spread across the pond and produced a variety of notable bands such as Cataract, Heaven Shall Burn and Caliban, all of whom have had varying degrees of success with their mixture of chugging breakdowns and Slayer-derived riffage.
Amongst the Old World's newest additions to the metalcore canon is Fightcast, an Italian quintet who present an admirably executed and extremely catchy take on the now tried-and-true genre with their debut album, Breeding a Divinity. From the get-go it is obvious that the band has drawn more inspiration from America's heavy hitters than their European brethren, taking cues from the likes of Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, and As I Lay Dying. There is no shortage of melodic guitar work, and the vocals alternate between scathing screams and harmony-laden clean singing. Fightcast have studied the source material well and know how to write a catchy tune, creating a sound throughout Breeding a Divinity that's tailor-made to burrow its way into the listener's brain. One of Fightcast's biggest strengths is a very developed sense of composition that is surprising for a debut album.
Breeding a Divinity also benefits from excellent production values, sounding just as good and in some cases better than most "big-name" metalcore releases. Listening to the album, you'd never guess it was the innaugural release from a fledgling label. Breeding a Divinity has the sort of glossy sheen that most bands in the genre would kill for, and it is evident both the band and Kolony Records are aiming high by investing in painstakingly crafted sonics.
If there is one flaw to be found with Breeding a Divinity, it's that the songs do tend to become a bit formulaic by the album's end, in spite of being so well structured. Although Fightcast aren't the most innovative band to carry the metalcore torch, they are extremely good at what they do, and fans of the genre would do well to pick this up. All originality issues aside, Breeding a Divinity is leaps and bounds better than the over-cooked tripe labels like Trustkill and Victory are peddling these days, and there's a lot to be said for that.
http://www.metalrage.com/reviews/2226/fightcast-breeding-a-divinity.html
In my 20 years of existence I have heard many Italian bands, but little of them are worth mentioning. According to the bio of the new Italian band Fightcast I will be blown away by this promising release. I sincerely hoped that this would be true, because after all the mediocre and shitty bands, I hoped to see a glimp of the top of the Italian metal scene. Or have I seen the top already, but didnt I realise it was the top of the scene?! Anyway, this metalcore should enchant fans of In Flames, Soilwork and Caliban and is said to be the new sensation in modern metallic heaviness.
After listening a couple of times to this record I only respected the music of Soilwork more and more, instead of liking Fightcast. When youre not familiar with for example Soilwork, Breeding A Divinity is a decent album, but when you do know them youll hear in every passage, every breakdown, every riff something Soilwork-like. The music is well-played, thats unquestionable. The real question is whether they try to trick the listener or themselves.
Maybe there is potential in this young band, but they first have to write and record their own music and then well see. Hopefully they dont bother us with their mediocre rip-offs anymore and hopefully theyll burn the scores and start all over!
http://www.metal-temple.com
From the moment I saw the band's photo I was more than sure that I would have to face one more stupid Metalcore band that would try to sound mean and gay at the same time. To tell you the truth, things weren't that band as I expected them to be, but there are things that disappointed me, as well as things that I liked. Let's get an inner trip to Breeding A Divinity.
The Italian metallers(?) were formed in 2004 and debuted with their MCD Killer Goodfellas Family. Since then, they managed to support well known acts like CALIBAN and THE AGONY SCENE. Three years later, the band entered Studio 73 to record its debut album Breeding A Divinity, an album that earned them their contract with the Italian label Kolony Records.
To tell you the truth, I expected to listen to a kind of shitty sound that would make the album's less than mediocre compositions sound even worse. The fact is that these young lads have managed to create an album that is respectful to every single rule this scene has set, something that makes it really good for people who like melodic Death Metal/Metalcore in the IN FLAMES/SOILWORK/KILLSWITCH ENGAGE way, but it also makes it sound nothing more than mediocre in my ears.
The nine tracks this album contains are something that is considered to be good in the specific scene, but who would spend his money for one more band of this style when there are many better bands out there? FIGHTCAST managed also to keep the sound quality high and dress their album with an ass kicking sound. I don't know mates, but this screaming/singing thing-ie has started being irritating to me. I can't spend my time on one more band that perfectly mixes melody with brutality. Recommended only to people who are less than 17 years old and believe that classic Metal is dead.
http://www.heathenharvest.com/article.php?story=20080531224642197
Both band and label make their debut with this release: Fightcast's Breeding a Divinity. Fightcast is a new band on the metalcore underground hailing from Cesena-Forli, Italy. Operating as a five piece, Fightcast only has one member in a previously known band, Stefano Casadei of Italian fantasy-based Heavy Metal Act The Fellowship of the Ring. It shouldn't be too hard for any educated person to guess what their primary lyrical themes would be about.
New label Kolony Records labels Fightcast as the new sensation in modern metallic heaviness, though the band is really just metalcore with moderately heavy sections and progressive elements. Luckily, they seem to save us the hassle of listening through trendy breakdowns and, in fact, the band seems to stay away from most stereotypes of the genre all together besides the bad haircuts. Metal isn't a fashion show though so who really cares right? The band's low point is the clean vocals. They don't really come off as talented and stay moderately cheesey, stuck partially in emo stylings. The band breaks free of most core talk though thanks to the excellent work of the rhythm section.
The high point of Breeding a Divinity are the lush layers of atmospheric guitar work that unfortunately gets buried in the mix for the majority of the release. These sections largely resemble the beautiful stylings of most atmospheric sludge that you may have heard from bands like Rosetta and even instrumental post-metal acts like Pelican and La Fin du Monde. In all, this is a musically impressive debut from Fightcast and, while it has its own identity, they still have a little ways to go to push themselves away from your typical metalcore act. Support this one as these guys could make the Italian metalcore scene into a diverse and musically ornate realm, unlike the stagnant emo-fest that America has become in the past years.
http://www.metalperspective.com/reviews/fightcast.php
Fightcast's debut full length album is also the inaugural release of Italian Kolony Records, which aims to cover the whole range of metal. This very first release is addressed to the metalcore fans, as Fightcast is a band that takes advantage of every feature of this genre, such as low-tuned rhythm guitars, melodic lead guitar parts, compact rhythm section and dual vocal lines. This is probably and the most significant drawback of the band; the thing that they do not alter the formula of "success". The positive thing though is that Fightcast is more metal than 'core, reminding a lot of early Soilwork and In Flames. The list of positive things expands, as the band does not create ultra-technical tracks (well-hidden exhibitionism for many bands of the genre) and their melodic parts do not abuse the Maiden tradition. Yet they have the usual clean vocal lines that give this emo/core feeling (I guess you all know this melodramatic feeling), which metalheads despise. If you add the weak performance of Filippo Tellerini in this section (his rough vocals are fairly good; listen for example "Three Ghosts for You"), then you understand that it would be better for them to stay focused on their metal background. The production is very good, courtesy of Studio '73, but I would argue for a finer approach to the sound of the drums. Fightcast is a young and very promising band, but they have chosen to fight in a very hard arena with many competitive bands. This is the bet they have to win. As long as they keep on the metal track I can see a brighter future for them.
