The Red Death External Frames Of Reference
Metal Blade Records 2005
By Russell Garwood
The Red Death are a metalcore band from NY. Nothing particularly original there, it has to be said, and the same is true - somewhat - of the music. A very thrashy sound marks the band apart slightly from their contemporaries, but otherwise this is straight-up metalcore. Thrashy riff-driven guitars often revert to discords, pinched harmonics and chuggy rhythm sections, with occasional melodeath moments, while the bass is well performed, but buried in the mix. Beneath this we find blasting but varied, and impressively tight, drums. The vocals are a relatively high growl, giving the heavy music an even more caustic exterior. Some more variation would be welcome, as the music can feel formulaic by the end of the album.
External Frames Of Reference has excellent production, and showcases clearly competent musicians and songwriters. Despite being closer to metal than the majority of their contemporaries, however, this quintets music is just too derivative to be of note. With nothing to set them apart from the current slew of metalcore bands, The Red Death will just have to be content with being one of the more competent out there.
6.5/10
Official Metal Blade website
Official The Read Death website
Metal Blade Records 2005
By Russell Garwood
The Red Death are a metalcore band from NY. Nothing particularly original there, it has to be said, and the same is true - somewhat - of the music. A very thrashy sound marks the band apart slightly from their contemporaries, but otherwise this is straight-up metalcore. Thrashy riff-driven guitars often revert to discords, pinched harmonics and chuggy rhythm sections, with occasional melodeath moments, while the bass is well performed, but buried in the mix. Beneath this we find blasting but varied, and impressively tight, drums. The vocals are a relatively high growl, giving the heavy music an even more caustic exterior. Some more variation would be welcome, as the music can feel formulaic by the end of the album.
External Frames Of Reference has excellent production, and showcases clearly competent musicians and songwriters. Despite being closer to metal than the majority of their contemporaries, however, this quintets music is just too derivative to be of note. With nothing to set them apart from the current slew of metalcore bands, The Red Death will just have to be content with being one of the more competent out there.
6.5/10
Official Metal Blade website
Official The Read Death website
