TIDFALL - 'Instinct Gate'
Nuclear Blast, 2001
Apparently, every black metal band from Norway is a "potential inheritor to Emperor's vacated throne." At least that's what Nuclear Blast wants us to believe about Tidfall. Look, these guys rip very nicely, but they aren't exactly charging into any new territory, and what's worse, their sound is hampered by the Nuclear Blast curse of overproduction.
For a band that's playing ripping fast, double-bass whiplash speed demon metal (with symphonic elements), this album is way too accessible. It has a light, floaty aura to it that tends to piss me off. Now, you know these black metal bands have their special crazy black metal sound. I believe it's been compared to the whirl of an air conditioner by a certain member of Hypocrisy in a recent issue of Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles. I don't know if Tidfall sounded like that on Circular Supremacy (Nocturnal Arts Productions, 2000), but that's what the band is working with on this, their second album.
Instinct Gate (and Tidfall) is potentially great because it combines that typical black metal sound with catchy thrash riffs. But it drives me mad that it doesn't kick my ass around like it should. I want to feel the full force of the gut-spilling screams and growls. I want the guitar to rip into me like a hollow-point bullet. But it almost feels like that's being censored. And to put it simply, these songs just aren't catchy or astounding enough to justify this sort of lofty production. It's as if Nuclear Blast (or maybe it's the band's decision, I don't know) thinks we wouldn't be able to handle the full brutal assault of Tidfall without the filter of overproduction and synths that make everything sound so slick and easier on the ears.
This is a solid metal album with a few interesting synth-based interludes, absolutely killer drumming, plenty of great guitar shredding and decent horror-house vocals, but how much better would it be without the childproof cap? (6.5)
Nuclear Blast, 2001
Apparently, every black metal band from Norway is a "potential inheritor to Emperor's vacated throne." At least that's what Nuclear Blast wants us to believe about Tidfall. Look, these guys rip very nicely, but they aren't exactly charging into any new territory, and what's worse, their sound is hampered by the Nuclear Blast curse of overproduction.
For a band that's playing ripping fast, double-bass whiplash speed demon metal (with symphonic elements), this album is way too accessible. It has a light, floaty aura to it that tends to piss me off. Now, you know these black metal bands have their special crazy black metal sound. I believe it's been compared to the whirl of an air conditioner by a certain member of Hypocrisy in a recent issue of Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles. I don't know if Tidfall sounded like that on Circular Supremacy (Nocturnal Arts Productions, 2000), but that's what the band is working with on this, their second album.
Instinct Gate (and Tidfall) is potentially great because it combines that typical black metal sound with catchy thrash riffs. But it drives me mad that it doesn't kick my ass around like it should. I want to feel the full force of the gut-spilling screams and growls. I want the guitar to rip into me like a hollow-point bullet. But it almost feels like that's being censored. And to put it simply, these songs just aren't catchy or astounding enough to justify this sort of lofty production. It's as if Nuclear Blast (or maybe it's the band's decision, I don't know) thinks we wouldn't be able to handle the full brutal assault of Tidfall without the filter of overproduction and synths that make everything sound so slick and easier on the ears.
This is a solid metal album with a few interesting synth-based interludes, absolutely killer drumming, plenty of great guitar shredding and decent horror-house vocals, but how much better would it be without the childproof cap? (6.5)
