I don't think he liked it!!
My view (as published in Fireworks Magazine at the time of its release) was:
"From the bleak cover through to the end of its 67+ minutes, ‘Scarsick’ is by Daniel Gildenlöws own admission a threatening and disturbing album. It is a controversial release, angry and powerful in equal measure and has immediately split the band’s fanbase down the middle. Many regard it as utter tosh, some view it as pretentious whilst others regard it as a creative masterwork and a truly progressive metal album. But then the same fans are in nearly as much disagreement as to which of the band’s earlier studio output (this is the seventh such release) represents their best work.
The difficulty for many fans here is that whilst they are prepared for something quite different with each release (that being the nature of the beast), this time there is such a hedonistic and extreme variety in the mix (think nu-metal, rap, country, blues, disco, punk and progressive elements – and also hardly any solo guitar) and you have some impression of why it has so divided the cognoscenti. I have lived with the promo for about two months before setting these thoughts down; I always try to give albums I am reviewing at least six listens; this one has had at least double that number and I still don’t really know what to make of it, though somehow feel I am tending towards a belief that this is actually a flawed masterpiece.
The angry and heavy riff-driven title track opens proceedings with snarled lead vocals, but also some interesting harmonic arrangements. ‘Spitfall’ features rap vocal stylings that give way to much more melodic interludes in the choruses. Once again this is a heavy and demanding song that invades the listener’s comfort zone, but there are some enchanting counterpoints. Phew! ‘Cribcaged’ is for me a magnificent song – beautiful and angry in equal measure that just builds and builds… ‘America’ is a very catchy song that musically (and perhaps even lyrically) would not have been out of place on the latest Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s album! And then there’s ‘Disco Queen’…and we are literally transported back to the vinyl 1970s. This is a song that seems to be hated and adored in equal measure. Me? – I fall most definitely into the former camp; this is one of the most unexpected songs on the album, and comical too in parts – though lyrically it has a much more serious underlying message. An absolute highlight!
‘Kingdom Of Loss’ is in stark contrast to the preceding track with a spine-tingling, slow, doom-laden feel. It is much more restrained than earlier sections of the album and features some quite melancholic and beautiful playing and glorious vocals and spoken commentary. Another highlight. ‘Mrs Modern Mother Mary’ on the other hand is, frankly, just a weird and incomprehensible song and I have found it to be absolutely impenetrable. Hence my earlier description of the album as a “flawed masterpiece”. ‘Idiocracy’ is a haunting song of two parts that suddenly grabs the listener after a curious, ambivalent, opening section. ‘Flame To The Moth’ builds up the intensity once again and is possibly the heaviest track on the entire album. The snarling/shouted lead vocals that predominate here will certainly not be to everyone’s taste. Album closer ‘Enter Rain’ is a mammoth 10+ minute offering. It is a moody, understated (in the context of the rest of the album) and thought-provoking climax.
Lyrically there is much angst expended here – but quite a lot of this is liberally laced with sarcasm and irony and even humour. Daniel Gildenlöw describes ‘Scarsick’ as “an intriguing sonic adventure”. I couldn’t possibly disagree…but I know there are plenty who would!"
The continuing debate on this forum reflects precisely the ability of individual listeners to cope with Kris Gildenlow's present "creative phase"... Whatever you may think, this is cutting edge, progressive music!
