The Holographic Universe (Album and Theory)

[Deus.exe]

So I've been listening to Scar Symmetry's latest album "The Holographic Universe" quite a bit lately. It's such a HUGE album. The production is fantastic, the songs are phenomenal and the guitar work is ridiculously awesome. The crowing achievement in my mind is however the vocals of Christian Älvestam.

One thing I really like about the album is the lyric themes.
The concept of the record is that the universe and everything in it are just projection [SIZE=-1]from a level of reality so beyond our own it is literally beyond both space and time.

[/SIZE]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_paradigm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_universe

[SIZE=-1]I'm interested in what you guys think on both the Album and Theory (JBroll I'm looking at you)[/SIZE]

 

[Djabthrash]

I didn't pay attention to the lyrics and content but i like the layout and i LOVE the album, even if i was kinda "shocked" at first with the enormous amount of über-gay vocals and kinda new-wave + old-school heavy/progressive metal sounding stuff, but now i'm used to it and i LOVE it. Something funny is that usually i hate this kind of very modern metal full of electro/samples parts, clean vocals, etc...

 

[Ermz]

This album won my 'fave metal production ever' award almost as soon as I heard it. It's up there with 'Doomsday Machine' as the most 'technically perfect' reference album I have for metal.

I saw the drummer talking about the lyrical theme on their pre-release videos. Seemed that he put a lot of thought into the whole concept. For the moment I'm content just getting cosy with the music, I'm not particularly big on looking for something to reinvent my worldview.

Musically, it's been growing on me a lot. There are many sections which are still quite 'meh', and in particular I'm very disappointed with the level of Per's solos, especially given the magnificent melodic construction he's had in the past. It seems like an arpeggiated-tap wankfest for the most part. Having said that, there are many very catchy and solid parts. It's likely the closest I'll ever come to enjoying pop-metal, hehe.

 

[jesus69lol]

It's likely the closest I'll ever come to enjoying pop-metal, hehe.

Scar symmetry is most definitely NOT pop-metal.

 

[beyond dead]

i can def. hear the pop influences. not pop per say, but a catchy, electro vibe that reminds me of 80`s pop metal a bit. either way, this is a phenomenal cd. i definitely use this, along with pitch black progress, the haunted the dead eye, and parkway drive horizons as my reference disks.

 

[Djabthrash]

Scar symmetry is most definitely NOT pop-metal.

Yes but it definitely has some very "fresh/naive/mainstream/melodic as fuck/80's 90's sounding electro-pop" stuff, "foreignated" from pop-metal since it's not "obvious/naive/simple/straight-forward" like pop-metal but more "complex/progressive/subtle".

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Scar Symmetry has definitely never been the kind of metal I have enjoyed that much, being of a somewhat hybrid genre, but The Holographic Universe has been my most played album for a month or so. The theme, production and flawless performance make it an unbelievably whole album. The tracks Quantumleaper and Ghost prototype have been on repeat on my player

 

[Rex Rocker]

The album, for me, rules... and so does the band, regardless of the genre they play

 

[kass]

Quantum theory threads on music forums FTW

 

[Djabthrash]

Scar Symmetry has definitely never been the kind of metal I have enjoyed that much, being of a somewhat hybrid genre, but The Holographic Universe has been my most played album for a month or so. The theme, production and flawless performance make it an unbelievably whole album. The tracks Quantumleaper and Ghost prototype have been on repeat on my player

Same.

The part with the guitar solo at the end of "Quantum Leaper" is friggin' awesome. I mean the one that kicks around 3'02.

 

[AdamWathan]

What? Scar Symmetry is the definition of pop metal. It's worse than modern Soilwork and In Flames! Ugh... Henrik, please do a Theory in Practice reunion!

 

[Djabthrash]

What? Scar Symmetry is the definition of pop metal. It's worse than modern Soilwork and In Flames! Ugh... Henrik, please do a Theory in Practice reunion!

Haha Hated that kind of "neo Swedish electro modern poppy metal" thing at first, but now i enjoy some late In Flames and Soilwork stuff (not everything though), and the last Scar Symmetry sounded kinda horrible to me at first because it's way more melodic/poppy/gay clean-vocals heavy/electro/modern than late In Flames/Soilwork stuff, but now i must admit it's just better music, period.

 

[kass]

What? Scar Symmetry is the definition of pop metal. It's worse than modern Soilwork and In Flames! Ugh... Henrik, please do a Theory in Practice reunion!

:Smug:

This is the first time I have listened to SS...but you really think new IF and Soilwork are better than this? Shit songs are shit songs, whether they are more poppy or more metal

these SS songs are just better written songs

new IF and Soilwork makes me want to vomit

and its not because its poppy...its because the songs are shit

 

[jesus69lol]

What? Scar Symmetry is the definition of pop metal. It's worse than modern Soilwork and In Flames! Ugh... Henrik, please do a Theory in Practice reunion!

Better or worse is a matter of opinion and endless debate (I like new in flames a LOT). A label like pop is best saved for something like justin timberlake or madonna. Scar Symmetry is NOT pop in any respect. They may have hooky melodies or simpler melodic progressions but those elements are not indigenous to pop music exclusively. Also, for that matter, scar symmetry has always had those elements and at this point in musical development I would not consider hooky lyrics or electronic elements to be foreign to metal music.

 

[LydonB]

Fantastic album. Christians vocals are incredible. That is the one thing that really turned me onto this band a few years ago. He reminds me of Mike Akerfeldt in that he can sing very well, but he can growl extremely well too.

I will have to check into the theme of the album. It sounds interesting.

 

[AdamWathan]

I dunno, in my opinion it's half assed garbage with absolutely no musical integrity and sounds intentionally written to appeal to a mass audience of simpletons that don't have a true passion for music and only appreciate it on a superficial level.

I can appreciate simple music, but it genuinely irks me that dudes in this band can wear a Spawn of Possession hoodie (one of the most musically complex and intelligent sounding bands in death metal today) and be satisfied writing this sort of music... There are obviously alterior motives at play.

 

[kass]

I dunno, in my opinion it's half assed garbage with absolutely no musical integrity and sounds intentionally written to appeal to a mass audience of simpletons that don't have a true passion for music and only appreciate it on a superficial level.

I can appreciate simple music, but it genuinely irks me that dudes in this band can wear a Spawn of Possession hoodie (one of the most musically complex and intelligent sounding bands in death metal today) and be satisfied writing this sort of music... There are obviously alterior motives at play.

Some people like catchy music, and are good at writing it?

I like Sikth, but there is no way anything like that is coming out of my brain...so simpler songs are what im going to write.

The guy has a legitimately good singing voice...crushing those of most scream/sing metal bands

BTW its funny to me how growly metal with shred solos is now made for "mass audiences" hahah


P.S. I just gave the album a quick DL to check it out...does this shit clip pretty good when you guys listen to it? maybe its just the mp3 and i deserve it

 

[jesus69lol]

Fantastic album. Christians vocals are incredible. That is the one thing that really turned me onto this band a few years ago. He reminds me of Mike Akerfeldt in that he can sing very well, but he can growl extremely well too.

I will have to check into the theme of the album. It sounds interesting.

Yeah damn the clean vocals are awesome. Something of a rarity in metal singers but its always nice, especially since in this case it does not come at the expense of that neato growl.

 

[Metaltastic]

P.S. I just gave the album a quick DL to check it out...

ACK, HOW DARE YOU!!! YOU'RE TAKING THE FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF THE CHILDREN OF ENGINEERS AND PORKING THEIR WIVES IN THE POOPER!! YOU'RE DOOMING THE ARTISTS AND RECORD LABELS TO A LIFE OF TOTAL DESTITUTION!! SHAME ON YOU!!

There, I'd say that's an appropriate Sneap forum response.

 

[kass]

ACK, HOW DARE YOU!!! YOU'RE TAKING THE FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF THE CHILDREN OF ENGINEERS AND PORKING THEIR WIVES IN THE POOPER!! YOU'RE DOOMING THE ARTISTS AND RECORD LABELS TO A LIFE OF TOTAL DESTITUTION!! SHAME ON YOU!!

There, I'd say that's an appropriate Sneap forum response.

lol i knew that was coming

Im deleting it anyway....fucking thing hurts my ears