Unmoored first reviews
- Thread starter Michele/Xyphias
- Start date
A première vue, quand on insère le CD dans la chaine, Unmoored, qui nous présente ici son troisième album, est un groupe de death/black bien brutal comme on en voit des centaines par mois. Et puis en y regardant de plus près, on s'aperçoit rapidement que chez ces Suèdois, il y a de la créativité ! Et de la vraie !!! Et c'est là, après 1-2 minutes du premier morceau, qu'on comprend mieux pourquoi ils se retrouvent sur le label italien Code666... Niveau complexité, ils savent y faire ces trois Scandinaves ! On passe du black/death ultra brutal au heavy speed mélodique dans la même chanson en passant par du bon power/thrash metal ! Et quand je dis qu'ils font du brutal, dans leurs envolées bien puissantes et compactes, on dirait du Meshuggah, c'est dire... A côté de cela, on a des passages en chant clair vraiment pas déplaisant qui lorgnent eux sur les chemins tracés par Opeth ! Aussi, on pourrait rapprocher leur style, ou plutôt leur vision, de celui du dernier album d'Arcturus, en moins grandiose et génial quand même et du côté du death. Les claviers, discrets, donnent une touche encore plus personnelle au trio. Et il est indéniable qu'il y a du talent dans ce groupe avec des compos très intéressantes, prenantes et diversifiées. Le niveau technique est carément élevé aussi. Les plans sont souvent très originaux mais, et c'est ce qui fait la force de ce groupe, la musique reste efficace et n'est pas qu'une simple démonstration de leur technique. Inutile de dire que la production est ultra-puissante vu que le tout a été enregistré au Studio Abyss. Bref, du bon boulot bien maitrisé et original. Un très gros 4... (November 2003)
note
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www.xtreemmusic.com
8.5
Very good work this one made by the swedish band UNMOORED. It´s their third full lenght album which explains the great level they own. You can see it´s a steady band and they have already got an own sound. About the style to say they are practising an original Death Metal in the melodic way with an amazing quality, but don´t think on swedish bands which actually are more Heavy than Death, like IN FLAMES and their horde of clones. Not at all, this is a true Death Metal band, melodic, of course, but without to sound commercial, in fact from time to time they tend to play more accelerated. Besides of the typical characteristics os the style they also include from time to time a female singer, by the way very good and it´s not the typical soprano but a more particular voice which is giving a very interesting point to the whole, and also a clean male voice, although both are scarcely appearing, but when they sound they enhance the song. Sometimes they also use some keyboards as background. All this elements are creating more quiet atmospheres but sound too well and give a great variety to the compositions. Besides they also enter from time to time in more Heavy, or even Progressive terrains which makes from this album to be an easy listening. If you like melodic Death Metal but you are tired of so many imitating bands this can be your chance to enjoy again this style.
8.5
Very good work this one made by the swedish band UNMOORED. It´s their third full lenght album which explains the great level they own. You can see it´s a steady band and they have already got an own sound. About the style to say they are practising an original Death Metal in the melodic way with an amazing quality, but don´t think on swedish bands which actually are more Heavy than Death, like IN FLAMES and their horde of clones. Not at all, this is a true Death Metal band, melodic, of course, but without to sound commercial, in fact from time to time they tend to play more accelerated. Besides of the typical characteristics os the style they also include from time to time a female singer, by the way very good and it´s not the typical soprano but a more particular voice which is giving a very interesting point to the whole, and also a clean male voice, although both are scarcely appearing, but when they sound they enhance the song. Sometimes they also use some keyboards as background. All this elements are creating more quiet atmospheres but sound too well and give a great variety to the compositions. Besides they also enter from time to time in more Heavy, or even Progressive terrains which makes from this album to be an easy listening. If you like melodic Death Metal but you are tired of so many imitating bands this can be your chance to enjoy again this style.
www.lordsofwinter.com
Type: Album
Pays: Suède
Label: Code666
Web: Site officiel
8.5/10
Et vlan! Unmoored a débarqué dans ma platine sans que je ne connaisse ni le nom ni la musique du combo et le moins que l'on puisse dire, c'est que la surprise fût de taille. En effet, ce "Indefinite Soul-Extension" est une pure merveille de death/black mélodique voir progressif pas si lointain (mais en plus black sur certains riffs) d'un Opeth et surtout d'un Edge Of Sanity par moments. La production du disque est excellente et ultra puissante et c'est donc dès le premier riff de "Unspeakable Grief" que la baffe fait effet. Le groupe propose un ensemble constitué d'une batterie qui blast à merveille, de claviers atmosphériques ("Leave-Taking") ou fantastiques (on se croirait dans un film de vampires sur quelques petits passages de "Unspeakable Grief" et "Spit Forth From Failure"), de grosses guitares qui alternent riffs bien death à d'autres plus black voir thrash et d'un chant à double tranchant puisque à la fois excellent en death et en black et magistral en clair. A ce niveau, Dan Swäno et Mike d'Opeth ont de quoi s'inquieter, Christian Älvestam - malgrè son look de grosse brute épaisse - est le mix parfait entre les deux. Non franchement déjà que Code666 est un label plus que sympa et bon, mais là s'il signe des combos au talent aussi génial qu'Unmoored, ils risquent fort de devenir une des références actuelles (même s'ils en font déjà parti pour certains... comme moi). Bon, il est clair qu'on devine que le groupe n'en est pas à son premier coup d'essai malgrè sa très faible notoriété (et il s'avère qu'effectivement deux albums sorti sur un label totalement inconnu précèdent ce "Indefinite Soul-Extension") mais entendre un truc aussi original et personnel qui vient de Suède fait vraiment plaisir. Car à vrai dire, vu la scène quelque peu surchargée de ce pays et notamment dans le style death mélodique (dont Unmoored est parfois proche sans jamais pour autant entrer totalement dedans) je désespérait de découvrir un nouvel Opeth ou un nouvel Edge Of Sanity. D'ailleurs, à ce sujet, les amateurs de ces deux combos peuvent se jeter les yeux fermés sur ce groupe (bien que son style soit personnel et pas vraiment dans la veine des deux autres puisque plus black) car il possède toutes les caractéristiques qui font le charme des deux géants du death progressif: une musique originale, puissante, metal et extrême, bien technique et diversifiée, et surtout complètement en marge de ce qui sort actuellement. Tous les titres sont bons, truffés de breaks et d'élements divers qui leur donne une richesse à faire palir tous les labels à la recherche de la perle rare et surtout sont progressifs et mélodiques. Et pour enfoncer le clou, Unmmored termine son disque par une ballade qui commence tout en acoustique pour monter petit à petit en puissance tout en restant très mélodique et accrocheuse: le recherché, le vénéré, le vrai, le grand, l'ultime plaisir métallique! Bref, pas la peine de continuer à parler de ce disque, il ne vous reste plus qu'une chose à faire: vous le procurer!!!
(Matt - 11/2003)
Type: Album
Pays: Suède
Label: Code666
Web: Site officiel
8.5/10
Et vlan! Unmoored a débarqué dans ma platine sans que je ne connaisse ni le nom ni la musique du combo et le moins que l'on puisse dire, c'est que la surprise fût de taille. En effet, ce "Indefinite Soul-Extension" est une pure merveille de death/black mélodique voir progressif pas si lointain (mais en plus black sur certains riffs) d'un Opeth et surtout d'un Edge Of Sanity par moments. La production du disque est excellente et ultra puissante et c'est donc dès le premier riff de "Unspeakable Grief" que la baffe fait effet. Le groupe propose un ensemble constitué d'une batterie qui blast à merveille, de claviers atmosphériques ("Leave-Taking") ou fantastiques (on se croirait dans un film de vampires sur quelques petits passages de "Unspeakable Grief" et "Spit Forth From Failure"), de grosses guitares qui alternent riffs bien death à d'autres plus black voir thrash et d'un chant à double tranchant puisque à la fois excellent en death et en black et magistral en clair. A ce niveau, Dan Swäno et Mike d'Opeth ont de quoi s'inquieter, Christian Älvestam - malgrè son look de grosse brute épaisse - est le mix parfait entre les deux. Non franchement déjà que Code666 est un label plus que sympa et bon, mais là s'il signe des combos au talent aussi génial qu'Unmoored, ils risquent fort de devenir une des références actuelles (même s'ils en font déjà parti pour certains... comme moi). Bon, il est clair qu'on devine que le groupe n'en est pas à son premier coup d'essai malgrè sa très faible notoriété (et il s'avère qu'effectivement deux albums sorti sur un label totalement inconnu précèdent ce "Indefinite Soul-Extension") mais entendre un truc aussi original et personnel qui vient de Suède fait vraiment plaisir. Car à vrai dire, vu la scène quelque peu surchargée de ce pays et notamment dans le style death mélodique (dont Unmoored est parfois proche sans jamais pour autant entrer totalement dedans) je désespérait de découvrir un nouvel Opeth ou un nouvel Edge Of Sanity. D'ailleurs, à ce sujet, les amateurs de ces deux combos peuvent se jeter les yeux fermés sur ce groupe (bien que son style soit personnel et pas vraiment dans la veine des deux autres puisque plus black) car il possède toutes les caractéristiques qui font le charme des deux géants du death progressif: une musique originale, puissante, metal et extrême, bien technique et diversifiée, et surtout complètement en marge de ce qui sort actuellement. Tous les titres sont bons, truffés de breaks et d'élements divers qui leur donne une richesse à faire palir tous les labels à la recherche de la perle rare et surtout sont progressifs et mélodiques. Et pour enfoncer le clou, Unmmored termine son disque par une ballade qui commence tout en acoustique pour monter petit à petit en puissance tout en restant très mélodique et accrocheuse: le recherché, le vénéré, le vrai, le grand, l'ultime plaisir métallique! Bref, pas la peine de continuer à parler de ce disque, il ne vous reste plus qu'une chose à faire: vous le procurer!!!
(Matt - 11/2003)
www.metal-observer.com
For quite some time Swedish UNMOORED had been missing in action after their strong second album "Kingdom Of Greed" from 2000. The only thing that I could read was that they signed with code666, but that was about it. But now they finally are back, with "Indefinite Soul-Extension" under their arm.
The first two albums "Cimmerian" and "Kingdom Of Greed" had been released via Singapore based label Pulverized (who also had discovered AMON AMARTH), which unfortunately limited the attention UNMOORED received in our region as their distribution, to say the least, had not been the best. With Italian code666 that at least should not be a problem, I think.
Had the band from Skövde sounded quite a bit like HYPOCRISY before, the question anno 2003, of course, is, if they have changed and if so, how. And this question can be answered with a clear and resounding "yes and no". Yes, a certain HYPOCRISY touch still can be detected and also clean vocals can be heard in the UNMOORED sound, but? and there are two quite big buts? for one the Swedes are not novices in terms of clean vocals, because already on the previous album they ennobled the powerful sound of the Swedes, and for the other I can easily disperse any potential accusations of wimping out, because "Indefinite Soul-Extension" has power to boot!
Packed into a great production by Peter Tägtgren the trio breaks through the speakers with full force and at times unleashes the big Death Metal club, which might cause some Melodic Death fans to get an uneasy stomach, but we also get highly melodic passages, just like monumental riff walls and sparse, yet effectively used clean vocals, which mostly is used around the choruses and despite all the heaviness fits really well. Especially on "Commit To The Fire" the contrast is very clear, giving UNMOORED a quite own touch.
On "Leave-taking" we suddenly get treated with a great violin, which hits you completely unprepared and brings an interesting touch into the hefty Death, while "Morndraper" most probably is the heaviest song in the UNMOORED history! In some songs they add some slightly spacey keyboards (like in the excellent "Spit Forth From Failure"), which remind me a bit of HYPOCRISY again? And on "Kingdom Of Greed" we had received a balladesque, acoustic song at the end, titled "In The Midst Of Winter", on "Indefinite Soul-Extension" we get another one of those, titled "Final State III (Posthumous Writings)", again with acoustic guitars, but also electric ones, still balladesque, very emotional and melodic, great closer! With outstanding clean vocals, which remind me a bit of Dan Swanö, the whole thing completely different than the other tracks, a crass contrast in heaviness, but still a great track, absolutely!
Altogether I can conclude that UNMOORED have added a brick compared to the two first albums, but without going overboard in terms of brutality. The great clean vocals form a very good contrast to the damn heavy sound and should not lead anyone to think that the Swedes had gone soft on us. If you like your Death Metal melodic, but still super heavy, then the third effort of UNMOORED could very well be something for you! (Online December 12, 2002
For quite some time Swedish UNMOORED had been missing in action after their strong second album "Kingdom Of Greed" from 2000. The only thing that I could read was that they signed with code666, but that was about it. But now they finally are back, with "Indefinite Soul-Extension" under their arm.
The first two albums "Cimmerian" and "Kingdom Of Greed" had been released via Singapore based label Pulverized (who also had discovered AMON AMARTH), which unfortunately limited the attention UNMOORED received in our region as their distribution, to say the least, had not been the best. With Italian code666 that at least should not be a problem, I think.
Had the band from Skövde sounded quite a bit like HYPOCRISY before, the question anno 2003, of course, is, if they have changed and if so, how. And this question can be answered with a clear and resounding "yes and no". Yes, a certain HYPOCRISY touch still can be detected and also clean vocals can be heard in the UNMOORED sound, but? and there are two quite big buts? for one the Swedes are not novices in terms of clean vocals, because already on the previous album they ennobled the powerful sound of the Swedes, and for the other I can easily disperse any potential accusations of wimping out, because "Indefinite Soul-Extension" has power to boot!
Packed into a great production by Peter Tägtgren the trio breaks through the speakers with full force and at times unleashes the big Death Metal club, which might cause some Melodic Death fans to get an uneasy stomach, but we also get highly melodic passages, just like monumental riff walls and sparse, yet effectively used clean vocals, which mostly is used around the choruses and despite all the heaviness fits really well. Especially on "Commit To The Fire" the contrast is very clear, giving UNMOORED a quite own touch.
On "Leave-taking" we suddenly get treated with a great violin, which hits you completely unprepared and brings an interesting touch into the hefty Death, while "Morndraper" most probably is the heaviest song in the UNMOORED history! In some songs they add some slightly spacey keyboards (like in the excellent "Spit Forth From Failure"), which remind me a bit of HYPOCRISY again? And on "Kingdom Of Greed" we had received a balladesque, acoustic song at the end, titled "In The Midst Of Winter", on "Indefinite Soul-Extension" we get another one of those, titled "Final State III (Posthumous Writings)", again with acoustic guitars, but also electric ones, still balladesque, very emotional and melodic, great closer! With outstanding clean vocals, which remind me a bit of Dan Swanö, the whole thing completely different than the other tracks, a crass contrast in heaviness, but still a great track, absolutely!
Altogether I can conclude that UNMOORED have added a brick compared to the two first albums, but without going overboard in terms of brutality. The great clean vocals form a very good contrast to the damn heavy sound and should not lead anyone to think that the Swedes had gone soft on us. If you like your Death Metal melodic, but still super heavy, then the third effort of UNMOORED could very well be something for you! (Online December 12, 2002
www.neroopaco.it
UNMOORED
"Indefinite soul-extension" (Code666)
Edito dalla Code666 la recente uscita degli Unmoored "Indefinite soul-extension" è un prodotto incredibilmente esaustivo ed eccitante.
Un death metal che rievoca piu memorie, da quelle brutal a quelle classiche, da quelle estreme a quelle melodic swedish, di fatto le 8 tracks redatte dalla band in questo piccolo gioellino "Indefinite soul-extension" rappresentano un momento d'incontro per tutti i gusti delle sonorità death metal. La band ha fatto certamente un buon lavoro, dimostrando un potenziale di alto livello cosi come il singer che spazia tra growls, screams e clean vocals con grande padronanza. Gli Unmoored mi danno il senso di una band dalle idee chiare che a maturità acquisita puo' davvero entrare pesantemente nel panorama mondiale come un nome che fara parlare di se e che attirerà al proprio seguito una vasta schiera di fans e consumatori. Siamo lieti di seguire i risvolti di questa interessante band, nuovo consiglio agli amanti del genere.
UNMOORED
"Indefinite soul-extension" (Code666)
Edito dalla Code666 la recente uscita degli Unmoored "Indefinite soul-extension" è un prodotto incredibilmente esaustivo ed eccitante.
Un death metal che rievoca piu memorie, da quelle brutal a quelle classiche, da quelle estreme a quelle melodic swedish, di fatto le 8 tracks redatte dalla band in questo piccolo gioellino "Indefinite soul-extension" rappresentano un momento d'incontro per tutti i gusti delle sonorità death metal. La band ha fatto certamente un buon lavoro, dimostrando un potenziale di alto livello cosi come il singer che spazia tra growls, screams e clean vocals con grande padronanza. Gli Unmoored mi danno il senso di una band dalle idee chiare che a maturità acquisita puo' davvero entrare pesantemente nel panorama mondiale come un nome che fara parlare di se e che attirerà al proprio seguito una vasta schiera di fans e consumatori. Siamo lieti di seguire i risvolti di questa interessante band, nuovo consiglio agli amanti del genere.
http://www.metalreview.com/albums/default.aspx?album=714
This album is an experiment in contrasts ? one part Stockholm-sound death metal, another part of Dan Swano-esque tranquility. If this sounds like a formula for Edge of Sanity, that?s nearly exact. Fortunately, I think that?s a fantastic sound, and one that I haven?t heard in overwhelming quantities, except by the man himself. In their defense, Unmoored push the envelope a little further on the heavy side. Whereas the harder edge of EOS is rooted in chunkier riffs, Unmoored rely more on blast-driven mayhem to pound their point home.
All members of this three-piece act excel at their instrument(s) of choice. Vocalist/rhythm/bass guitarist Christian Alvestam pays respect to Swano by cloning both his clean and growled deliveries, and it sounds fantastic. Tomas Johansson?s leads are shredding of the highest order, and even his slower melodies are worthy of the air guitar. Drummer Henrik Schonstrom holds his own with accurate footwork and some nice fills. All of this is given a respectable Abyss Studios sound, grating and loud, yet clear.
Right from the get-go, Indefinite Soul-Extension?s opener ?Unspeakable Grief? launches into a pair of nasty riffs, which then traverses into a Gothenburgy, clean-vocal chorus. Follow that up with light-speed shredding and bake at 350 for six minutes and you?ve got a remarkable song. ?Phase of Revulsion? is my favorite song on here, mostly due to a godly chorus that alternates clean, growled, and screamed vox and then lays them on top of intense drumming and a fine lead. Nearly every song on here follows the same functional formula of mixing fine Swedish death with laid-back clean sections and stellar shreds. Occasionally some silly haunted house-like keys find their way into a song, but the only two exceptions to that formula are the brief blast of energy called ?Morndraper? and the acoustic-driven ballad ?Final State Part III?. Fortunately, in the ballad, where I?d expect to find cheese, instead I find a beautiful solo.
I?ll admit it, I?m a pushover for first-rate leads, and Unmoored has more than enough to put a smile on my face. If you don?t object to the unabashed EOS worship, then you?ll agree that Indefinite Soul Extension is a fine slab o? metal. All aspects are top-quality and I?ll definitely track down their older albums. Unmoored has delivered one of the best releases from Sweden this year, for sure.
This album is an experiment in contrasts ? one part Stockholm-sound death metal, another part of Dan Swano-esque tranquility. If this sounds like a formula for Edge of Sanity, that?s nearly exact. Fortunately, I think that?s a fantastic sound, and one that I haven?t heard in overwhelming quantities, except by the man himself. In their defense, Unmoored push the envelope a little further on the heavy side. Whereas the harder edge of EOS is rooted in chunkier riffs, Unmoored rely more on blast-driven mayhem to pound their point home.
All members of this three-piece act excel at their instrument(s) of choice. Vocalist/rhythm/bass guitarist Christian Alvestam pays respect to Swano by cloning both his clean and growled deliveries, and it sounds fantastic. Tomas Johansson?s leads are shredding of the highest order, and even his slower melodies are worthy of the air guitar. Drummer Henrik Schonstrom holds his own with accurate footwork and some nice fills. All of this is given a respectable Abyss Studios sound, grating and loud, yet clear.
Right from the get-go, Indefinite Soul-Extension?s opener ?Unspeakable Grief? launches into a pair of nasty riffs, which then traverses into a Gothenburgy, clean-vocal chorus. Follow that up with light-speed shredding and bake at 350 for six minutes and you?ve got a remarkable song. ?Phase of Revulsion? is my favorite song on here, mostly due to a godly chorus that alternates clean, growled, and screamed vox and then lays them on top of intense drumming and a fine lead. Nearly every song on here follows the same functional formula of mixing fine Swedish death with laid-back clean sections and stellar shreds. Occasionally some silly haunted house-like keys find their way into a song, but the only two exceptions to that formula are the brief blast of energy called ?Morndraper? and the acoustic-driven ballad ?Final State Part III?. Fortunately, in the ballad, where I?d expect to find cheese, instead I find a beautiful solo.
I?ll admit it, I?m a pushover for first-rate leads, and Unmoored has more than enough to put a smile on my face. If you don?t object to the unabashed EOS worship, then you?ll agree that Indefinite Soul Extension is a fine slab o? metal. All aspects are top-quality and I?ll definitely track down their older albums. Unmoored has delivered one of the best releases from Sweden this year, for sure.
http://www.shapeless.it/recealbum/unmoored-indefinitesoul.htm
UNMOORED
Indefinite Soul-Extension
Etichetta: Code666
Anno: 2003
Durata: 45 min
Genere: death
Dopo i casini con la Pulverised Records gli Unmoored si erano messi in cerca di una nuova etichetta, ed alla fine si sono accasati presso la nostrana Code666, che ha pubblicato pochi mesi fa il loro terzo album dal titolo "Indefinite Soul-Extension". Della line-up del precedente album è rimasto solo Christian Älvestam (voce e chitarra), a cui si sono aggiunti Henrik Schönström (batteria) e Tomas Johansson (chitarra solista).
Lo stile dell'album riprende in parte quello di "Kingdoms Of Greed", lasciando quasi completamente da parte le similitudini col black metal. Questo "Indefinite Soul-Extension" è un album di death metal piuttosto vario: ad una base sicuramente death metal gli Unmoored hanno aggiunto svariate influenze, dal death melodico delle loro parti, fino a qualche sfuriata tipica del death floridiano, qualche riff thrash e vari assoli in pieno stile metal classico. I tempi si dividono tra veloci e medi, e la maggior parte dei riff sono belli incazzati. In complesso però non risulta un album troppo violento, ci sono varie parti con delle tastiere in sottofondo, ed anche alcuni stacchi melodici con la voce pulita (che qui fa la sua presenza perché è death metal, ma è piuttosto piatta come voce pulita).
Le strutture delle canzoni non sono standard, e nello stesso brano si possono trovare un sacco di parti diverse (esemplare è la terza traccia "Leave-Taking", per me la migliore dell'album). Questo però non significa che "Indefinite Soul-Extension" sia un album innovativo, a guardar bene non c'è nulla di nuovo, ogni singola parte di questo lavoro è simile a cose già sentite in precedenza da altri gruppi. La carta vincente degli Unmoored è data dalla qualità di ogni singola parte, e dalla capacità di legarle assieme in maniera filante. Le canzoni filano via lisce che è un piacere, e ci sono molti momenti veramente riusciti: il riff thrash al centro di "Leave-Taking" non dice nulla di nuovo, però cazzo se ha un tiro spettacolare! E lo stesso per tutto il resto dell'album: non passerà alla storia per aver segnato una svolta nel death metal, ma di sicuro si lascia ascoltare che è un piacere. Da notare l'ultima traccia "Final State Part III", ennesimo capitolo della saga: stavolta si tratta di una ballad acustica per la prima metà, per poi vivacizzarsi con una bella chitarra solista elettrica. Anche qui nulla di nuovo, ma la qualità resta molto alta.
La produzione (presso gli Abyss) è buona, i suoni sono potenti ma belli grezzi, per fortuna stavolta la produzione si discosta dallo standard solito degli Abyss, rendendo il tutto meno plasticoso e più vivo. La confezione non posso giudicarla: in mano ho il promo, quindi non so come sia il libretto, so solo che la confezione in vendita è un digipack (come ormai abitudine della Code666).
In conclusione questo album è veramente gradevole: le canzoni sono varie e di alta qualità. Bisogna dare merito agli Unmoored di aver saputo scrivere un sacco di parti fighe e di averle legate tra loro per bene. Come detto sopra non ci vedo nulla di veramente originale, quindi non vado oltre ad un 8.5 come voto. Però si tratta di un album molto bello e che si lascia ascoltare molte volte. Acquisto consigliato se vi piace il death metal unito alla melodia.
(teonzo - Febbraio 2004)
Voto: 8.5
UNMOORED
Indefinite Soul-Extension
Etichetta: Code666
Anno: 2003
Durata: 45 min
Genere: death
Dopo i casini con la Pulverised Records gli Unmoored si erano messi in cerca di una nuova etichetta, ed alla fine si sono accasati presso la nostrana Code666, che ha pubblicato pochi mesi fa il loro terzo album dal titolo "Indefinite Soul-Extension". Della line-up del precedente album è rimasto solo Christian Älvestam (voce e chitarra), a cui si sono aggiunti Henrik Schönström (batteria) e Tomas Johansson (chitarra solista).
Lo stile dell'album riprende in parte quello di "Kingdoms Of Greed", lasciando quasi completamente da parte le similitudini col black metal. Questo "Indefinite Soul-Extension" è un album di death metal piuttosto vario: ad una base sicuramente death metal gli Unmoored hanno aggiunto svariate influenze, dal death melodico delle loro parti, fino a qualche sfuriata tipica del death floridiano, qualche riff thrash e vari assoli in pieno stile metal classico. I tempi si dividono tra veloci e medi, e la maggior parte dei riff sono belli incazzati. In complesso però non risulta un album troppo violento, ci sono varie parti con delle tastiere in sottofondo, ed anche alcuni stacchi melodici con la voce pulita (che qui fa la sua presenza perché è death metal, ma è piuttosto piatta come voce pulita).
Le strutture delle canzoni non sono standard, e nello stesso brano si possono trovare un sacco di parti diverse (esemplare è la terza traccia "Leave-Taking", per me la migliore dell'album). Questo però non significa che "Indefinite Soul-Extension" sia un album innovativo, a guardar bene non c'è nulla di nuovo, ogni singola parte di questo lavoro è simile a cose già sentite in precedenza da altri gruppi. La carta vincente degli Unmoored è data dalla qualità di ogni singola parte, e dalla capacità di legarle assieme in maniera filante. Le canzoni filano via lisce che è un piacere, e ci sono molti momenti veramente riusciti: il riff thrash al centro di "Leave-Taking" non dice nulla di nuovo, però cazzo se ha un tiro spettacolare! E lo stesso per tutto il resto dell'album: non passerà alla storia per aver segnato una svolta nel death metal, ma di sicuro si lascia ascoltare che è un piacere. Da notare l'ultima traccia "Final State Part III", ennesimo capitolo della saga: stavolta si tratta di una ballad acustica per la prima metà, per poi vivacizzarsi con una bella chitarra solista elettrica. Anche qui nulla di nuovo, ma la qualità resta molto alta.
La produzione (presso gli Abyss) è buona, i suoni sono potenti ma belli grezzi, per fortuna stavolta la produzione si discosta dallo standard solito degli Abyss, rendendo il tutto meno plasticoso e più vivo. La confezione non posso giudicarla: in mano ho il promo, quindi non so come sia il libretto, so solo che la confezione in vendita è un digipack (come ormai abitudine della Code666).
In conclusione questo album è veramente gradevole: le canzoni sono varie e di alta qualità. Bisogna dare merito agli Unmoored di aver saputo scrivere un sacco di parti fighe e di averle legate tra loro per bene. Come detto sopra non ci vedo nulla di veramente originale, quindi non vado oltre ad un 8.5 come voto. Però si tratta di un album molto bello e che si lascia ascoltare molte volte. Acquisto consigliato se vi piace il death metal unito alla melodia.
(teonzo - Febbraio 2004)
Voto: 8.5
Metalworks Ireland
Unmoored
?Indefinite Soul-Extension?
code666
With nearly ten years behind them, these Swedes present their third full-length album. Having not heard any previous efforts, this has nonetheless made quite an impression. Unmoored manage to effectively combine traditional Metal with Death and Thrash, without sounding forced and disjointed. From the opening track this sounds like any other Death Metal band ? blast, chopping riffs and growled vocals. All the songs seem to follow a general pattern of full speed transforming into a Thrash workout. Within the basic structures, there are some really mind-blowing changes into acoustic moods and clean vocal passages, which work to a high degree. It is hard to pin the band down to any particular style; for example, the track ?Spit Forth From Failure? has the basic formula, but also has a symphonic Black Metal power chord and keyboard flavour to it, with an almost Meshuggah timing. The guitar soloing has a high level of proficiency, which complements the songs perfectly, something that is becoming all too rare. I could compile a list of bands Unmoored are reminiscent of, but that would be pointless. In among the already eclectic Metal mix are Opeth leanings, which are very noticeable on sections of ?Leave Taking?. The one song that is totally different is ?Final State Part III?, which has a clean vocal throughout and predominantly acoustic guitar driven, this song could have been on ?Blackwater Park?. It?s great to hear such a mixed bag in an album that is well crafted and would warrant a lot of playing time. www.code666.net
8/10 Dave McCallum
Unmoored
?Indefinite Soul-Extension?
code666
With nearly ten years behind them, these Swedes present their third full-length album. Having not heard any previous efforts, this has nonetheless made quite an impression. Unmoored manage to effectively combine traditional Metal with Death and Thrash, without sounding forced and disjointed. From the opening track this sounds like any other Death Metal band ? blast, chopping riffs and growled vocals. All the songs seem to follow a general pattern of full speed transforming into a Thrash workout. Within the basic structures, there are some really mind-blowing changes into acoustic moods and clean vocal passages, which work to a high degree. It is hard to pin the band down to any particular style; for example, the track ?Spit Forth From Failure? has the basic formula, but also has a symphonic Black Metal power chord and keyboard flavour to it, with an almost Meshuggah timing. The guitar soloing has a high level of proficiency, which complements the songs perfectly, something that is becoming all too rare. I could compile a list of bands Unmoored are reminiscent of, but that would be pointless. In among the already eclectic Metal mix are Opeth leanings, which are very noticeable on sections of ?Leave Taking?. The one song that is totally different is ?Final State Part III?, which has a clean vocal throughout and predominantly acoustic guitar driven, this song could have been on ?Blackwater Park?. It?s great to hear such a mixed bag in an album that is well crafted and would warrant a lot of playing time. www.code666.net
8/10 Dave McCallum
I'm into Swedish metal and I found all these hard-to-find melodic bdeath/black stuff here - www.rockazilla.com
"Kingdom Of Greed" is there too.
"Kingdom Of Greed" is there too.
