Unholy Blood of the Medusa
Lambgoat Records LBG002 June 5, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Lambgoats inaugural release Lye by Mistakes Arrangements for Fulminating Vective was an impressive piece of work, though also firmly and undeniably rooted in Dillinger Escape Plan land. Unfortunately, New Yorks Unholy dont fare as well as their labelmates because Blood of the Medusa is a forgettable, hardcore-infused metal effort that, Ill admit, I wanted to like more than I actually could.
Nonetheless, opener New Faith gets off on the right foot with a powerful, first riff that sounds akin to something from Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass) or Björler (The Haunted, ex-At the Gates), and Touch of Death backs this up with a few killers of its own. Structure-wise, songs such as Variola and Rise of Sarnath seem to be more in tune with thrashy metalcore than tried and true hardcore, and the brief guitar leads punctuate soundscapes that are otherwise commonplace. The raspy growls/screams arent exceptional, and their appeal lessens as the record unravels, yet they still prove tolerable even after 42 minutes, which could be somewhat attributable to the supplemental gang shouts. However, a good number of tracks pass by without offering anything truly notable, except for stomper Part This Mortal Flame and the motivated Dreams in the Witch House.
In the end, Blood of the Medusa isnt that bad, but it isnt that good either. Its just kinda there. And believe you me: this type of album is more difficult to write about than one you love or hate. I guess I couldve namedropped the bands that members of Unholy were/are in, or the guest vocal contributors, but when the final product is simply par for the course, those things seem of little importance. For better results, try Lye by Mistake, and hope that the next Lambgoat record will eclipse its predecessors.
Official Unholy Website
Official Lambgoat Records Website
Lambgoat Records LBG002 June 5, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Lambgoats inaugural release Lye by Mistakes Arrangements for Fulminating Vective was an impressive piece of work, though also firmly and undeniably rooted in Dillinger Escape Plan land. Unfortunately, New Yorks Unholy dont fare as well as their labelmates because Blood of the Medusa is a forgettable, hardcore-infused metal effort that, Ill admit, I wanted to like more than I actually could.
Nonetheless, opener New Faith gets off on the right foot with a powerful, first riff that sounds akin to something from Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass) or Björler (The Haunted, ex-At the Gates), and Touch of Death backs this up with a few killers of its own. Structure-wise, songs such as Variola and Rise of Sarnath seem to be more in tune with thrashy metalcore than tried and true hardcore, and the brief guitar leads punctuate soundscapes that are otherwise commonplace. The raspy growls/screams arent exceptional, and their appeal lessens as the record unravels, yet they still prove tolerable even after 42 minutes, which could be somewhat attributable to the supplemental gang shouts. However, a good number of tracks pass by without offering anything truly notable, except for stomper Part This Mortal Flame and the motivated Dreams in the Witch House.
In the end, Blood of the Medusa isnt that bad, but it isnt that good either. Its just kinda there. And believe you me: this type of album is more difficult to write about than one you love or hate. I guess I couldve namedropped the bands that members of Unholy were/are in, or the guest vocal contributors, but when the final product is simply par for the course, those things seem of little importance. For better results, try Lye by Mistake, and hope that the next Lambgoat record will eclipse its predecessors.
Official Unholy Website
Official Lambgoat Records Website
