Sonic Syndicate Eden Fire
Pivotal Rockordings PR-001 September 13th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Last time I visited Sweden, I saw Sonic Syndicate out walking around, so I called Dark Tranquillity, Soilwork, and In Flames to let them know I found the people who stole their sound. The Gothenburg and Helsingborg purveyors were not too happy about the theft, but I gently consoled them and ultimately dissuaded them from pressing charges against the melodic death metal sextet in question. Sonic Syndicate (formerly known as Fallen Angels) indisputably follow the path that was blazed by their fellow Swedish countrymen and blotting out the perceptible copycatting Eden Fire is a devastating release if certain weaknesses are transported to the background.
Admittedly, though, the Gothenburg melodeath motif has been tackled from all angles, and most efforts nowadays only serve to further clutter an oversaturated subgenre. Yet I like Sonic Syndicate. One can tell that the band spent vast amounts of time readying their music for public consumption. The production is hefty, the musicianship is praiseworthy, and the rhythmical know-how is perhaps the zenith of Eden Fire. Make no mistake: this group, led by three Sjunnessons (vocals, guitar, guitar, respectively), is well-versed in roping audiences by way of stunning rhythms. Naturally, keyboards traipse about and the beats are predominantly centered on the intertwining of both guitar and drums. Without second-guessing myself, its an affable shtick. But seekers of the finest output, that Sonic Syndicate have, should gather around Misanthropic Coil and Lament of Innocence, which find their place of residence in the LPs middle region. Also of note are the members ages. Perhaps stupefying is the fact that the units youngest is seventeen, while the oldest is twenty-two. I suspect theres a lot of life left in these Swedes.
Im also convinced that the trilogy of EPs, that Fallen Angels set free before the name change, helped muster prowess. At any rate, the Gothenburg-derived melodic death sound is a touchy subject these days, as several metalheads gorged themselves on it in the recent past. Nevertheless, Eden Fire is a gigantic first step for these newcomers, and this young troupe is one to be watched.
7.5/10
UltimateMetal's Interview with Sonic Syndicate
Official Sonic Syndicate Website
Official Pivotal Rockordings Website
Pivotal Rockordings PR-001 September 13th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Last time I visited Sweden, I saw Sonic Syndicate out walking around, so I called Dark Tranquillity, Soilwork, and In Flames to let them know I found the people who stole their sound. The Gothenburg and Helsingborg purveyors were not too happy about the theft, but I gently consoled them and ultimately dissuaded them from pressing charges against the melodic death metal sextet in question. Sonic Syndicate (formerly known as Fallen Angels) indisputably follow the path that was blazed by their fellow Swedish countrymen and blotting out the perceptible copycatting Eden Fire is a devastating release if certain weaknesses are transported to the background.
Admittedly, though, the Gothenburg melodeath motif has been tackled from all angles, and most efforts nowadays only serve to further clutter an oversaturated subgenre. Yet I like Sonic Syndicate. One can tell that the band spent vast amounts of time readying their music for public consumption. The production is hefty, the musicianship is praiseworthy, and the rhythmical know-how is perhaps the zenith of Eden Fire. Make no mistake: this group, led by three Sjunnessons (vocals, guitar, guitar, respectively), is well-versed in roping audiences by way of stunning rhythms. Naturally, keyboards traipse about and the beats are predominantly centered on the intertwining of both guitar and drums. Without second-guessing myself, its an affable shtick. But seekers of the finest output, that Sonic Syndicate have, should gather around Misanthropic Coil and Lament of Innocence, which find their place of residence in the LPs middle region. Also of note are the members ages. Perhaps stupefying is the fact that the units youngest is seventeen, while the oldest is twenty-two. I suspect theres a lot of life left in these Swedes.
Im also convinced that the trilogy of EPs, that Fallen Angels set free before the name change, helped muster prowess. At any rate, the Gothenburg-derived melodic death sound is a touchy subject these days, as several metalheads gorged themselves on it in the recent past. Nevertheless, Eden Fire is a gigantic first step for these newcomers, and this young troupe is one to be watched.
7.5/10
UltimateMetal's Interview with Sonic Syndicate
Official Sonic Syndicate Website
Official Pivotal Rockordings Website
