The Halo Effect - New Album 2023/2024
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Xpyro125
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The old Cruel Perception is still here. I found a guitar cover for it, but unfortunately it’s just a short.
Out of new batch of songs, I like Cruel Perception the most. Flows naturally, cool if unremarkable melodies and a really nice and catchy (but not cheesy) chorus.
That being said... Not sure I like where THE is going.
- production is too polished and weak. I don't know why modern metal bands are afraid of rhythm guitar being heard or having some cool natural sound of instruments
- guys can't play solos to save their lives and melodies they write are not good enough to cover this flaw
- every song roughly follows the same pattern and length
- drums and general dynamics of their songs are just boring after a while
So I really don't find this music bad or offensive like most of IF modern output, but i just don't see me coming back to these songs often.
That being said... Not sure I like where THE is going.
- production is too polished and weak. I don't know why modern metal bands are afraid of rhythm guitar being heard or having some cool natural sound of instruments
- guys can't play solos to save their lives and melodies they write are not good enough to cover this flaw
- every song roughly follows the same pattern and length
- drums and general dynamics of their songs are just boring after a while
So I really don't find this music bad or offensive like most of IF modern output, but i just don't see me coming back to these songs often.
Xpyro125
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I’ve got a pretty similar opinion to that. I said it a little bit earlier, but I do like that they did stray from constantly doing 100 BPM at 4/4 with these singles so far. It’s a small credit to give, but they have earned it.
As for the solos, I think a few show some promise, but the guitarwork surrounding them is the bigger issue for me personally. It all just feels like I’ve heard it before, but whereas I could rationalize that with feeling reminiscent and pointing to old IF and Cyhra tracks that parts remind me of, I just look back to their previous album with these singles. Speaking of Cyhra, the reason the solos in even No Halos and TVT are as good as they are is because Euge writes them, with Jesper having done the framework on Letters— Which was ideal for that band, and it’s a shame that that didn’t stay how they continued doing things. I think Niclas has some good solos, but nowhere near the level of Euge. It’s clear that his works can be rather creative and moody with Gateways, but considering how that was the initial direction that got revised as they went through DotL, I don’t know that we’ll get more of that.
I forget if I mentioned it for DotL, but I know that for the singles I mentioned Daniel and Peter not being quite as good or even prevalent as they were in previous bands. Couple that with the kit sound being a considerable downgrade from DotL, and that is a big issue for me.
I still have some hope for the band, as that review pointed out a few things that do excite me like the cello intro, but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I’ll definitely still buy the album, at least if it isn’t a No Halos or TVT level downgrade.
The Grayfox
Nija
The problem with the songs I've heard from this album so far is that they're not memorable. The first album had some really great tracks that I still go back to quite frequently (looking at you Gateways and Conditional), but this new batch... if I'm being honest, I wouldn't care if I heard any of them again or not. It feels like they're passable but I don't think that's enough here. The best part of any of this stuff is the intro to March of the Unheard, which I think we're all agreeing is This Curse of Silence. If so, which I assume it is, that means we've heard five of the twelve tracks so far. For me to say "yeah and the best one is a two minute instrumental they've been using as an intro" isn't exactly a glowing endorsement. I hope there are at least a few songs on this album that stand out more.
For me the biggest issue with their music (first album included) is how rhythmically dull it is. It feels like a constant barrage of 1/8th notes be it on guitars or drums, there are very few moments where music actually breathes, no use of pauses or note length variations. There are no twists and turns to the riffs, it's very mechanical and lacking the organic feel of the old IF stuff.
On the other hand, I never had that high expectations so I'm not disappointed either. I never expected Jesper to bring his A game with melodies, this was always going to be mostly Niclas dragging everything to fruition.
Gateways is the odd track on that album for sure, and I saw one of the podcast interviews with Peter where he said that that song was made out of some of his old ideas. So yeah that's not exactly Niclas's writing style.
On the other hand, I never had that high expectations so I'm not disappointed either. I never expected Jesper to bring his A game with melodies, this was always going to be mostly Niclas dragging everything to fruition.
Gateways is the odd track on that album for sure, and I saw one of the podcast interviews with Peter where he said that that song was made out of some of his old ideas. So yeah that's not exactly Niclas's writing style.
Gateways and Conditional weren't singles for the previous album. If we name the releases they were
Shadowminds
Feel What I Believe
In Broken Trust
Days of the Lost
The needless end
At the time, all those songs were critiziced for being too straightforward and Chorus oriented. Maybe not FWIB.
Now, I fail to see how the new singles are worse than, for example, IBT or DOTL, or how they're pointing to a new direction. Or how the production is vastly different. More like it's safe ground. Would I like some experimentation? Yes. Of course. I have said this a lot of times. I'm into metal for the instrumental part. For me, the ideal length for a metal song starts at 4 minutes and goes upwards. And I have also said this a lot of times. I feel that there are a lot of great instrumental parts that need more time in THE songs but they're not giving them enough space.
This said, as long as the songs are enjoyable I'm ok.
The only main difference that I find between the new album and DOTL is that the first one had a fresh air to it while this one is something that we have yet heard.
But, you know what? After following IF for three decades and seeing their change and experimentation, I would better listen to ten repetitions to Whotacle or Clayman than most of what they've released since the year 2000.
As for the solos, I think that they're ok but I also think that, in this day, they're overrated in the metal music. There are a lot of first line bands without a memorable guitar solo (Metallica, Anthrax or Slayer come to mind). So. I'm ok with melodies instead or solos when they're properly developed.
By the way, Conditional was intended, by Peter, to be a pop song, when they were still trying to find their own sound.
Shadowminds
Feel What I Believe
In Broken Trust
Days of the Lost
The needless end
At the time, all those songs were critiziced for being too straightforward and Chorus oriented. Maybe not FWIB.
Now, I fail to see how the new singles are worse than, for example, IBT or DOTL, or how they're pointing to a new direction. Or how the production is vastly different. More like it's safe ground. Would I like some experimentation? Yes. Of course. I have said this a lot of times. I'm into metal for the instrumental part. For me, the ideal length for a metal song starts at 4 minutes and goes upwards. And I have also said this a lot of times. I feel that there are a lot of great instrumental parts that need more time in THE songs but they're not giving them enough space.
This said, as long as the songs are enjoyable I'm ok.
The only main difference that I find between the new album and DOTL is that the first one had a fresh air to it while this one is something that we have yet heard.
But, you know what? After following IF for three decades and seeing their change and experimentation, I would better listen to ten repetitions to Whotacle or Clayman than most of what they've released since the year 2000.
As for the solos, I think that they're ok but I also think that, in this day, they're overrated in the metal music. There are a lot of first line bands without a memorable guitar solo (Metallica, Anthrax or Slayer come to mind). So. I'm ok with melodies instead or solos when they're properly developed.
By the way, Conditional was intended, by Peter, to be a pop song, when they were still trying to find their own sound.
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At core radio they have the new single for download but it's actually Forever Astray 
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Moonshield_
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Xpyro125
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I phrased what I meant wrong, I was calling Forever Astray the old Cruel Perception.
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Found a review of the new album. It's in German though.
www.metal.de
The Halo Effect – March Of The Unheard – Melodic Death Metal Review • metal.de
Wie macht man nach einem erfolgreichen Debüt weiter? Wir prüfen ob THE HALO EFFECT auch mit dem Nachfolger "March Of The Unheard" wieder überzeugen können!
www.metal.de
Xpyro125
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Well, it doesn’t reveal too much about the album (At least not since seeing the last review posted here), but it’s definitely well-written and clearly by someone who was there for the debut album. I find it fascinating that he things the attempts to add variety are a bit weak/detracting, if anything that’s the sort of thing I’m the most excited to hear from March.
The two reviews so far have painted a clearer (And in my opinion, more exciting) picture of what to expect from March, and I do have hope that it’ll live up to DotL should it be as adventurous as these reviews say.
The two reviews so far have painted a clearer (And in my opinion, more exciting) picture of what to expect from March, and I do have hope that it’ll live up to DotL should it be as adventurous as these reviews say.
Blast_The_Virginborn
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Track by track review.
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Xpyro125
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I don’t know nearly enough to read it myself, so I plugged the entire site into google translate. Thankfully, it wasn’t the painful experience I expected it to be.
Translations have come a long way as of late. Not sure if Google translate is using Gemini to help now, but ChatGPT is exceptional at translating in both directions. When it can write essentially perfect English to Finnish (verified by actual Finns as totally accurate) you know it's good.
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