Withering Surface - Walking On Phantom Ice
Copro Records - 2001
Go to the Copro Records web site.
The appeal of melodic metal obviously hasn't run quite dry yet, if Danish melodic thrashers Withering Surface are anything to judge by. This Scandinavian sextet already have quite an impressive pedigree - two albums ('Scarlet Sillhouettes' and 'The Nude Ballet') produced by Frederik Nordstrom - who has also produced bands like At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, a guest appearance by In Flames axe-weilder Jesper Stromblad, and a tour with black metal behemoths Dimmu Borgir.
Now, after a label change from Euphonious Records to UK based Copro Records, comes their sterling third album. And it's a damned good one too!
If you're looking for reference points to the sound of this band, obviously In Flames and Dark Tranquillity are good places to start - but also, I'd point a finger at the vibrant, up-beat and energetic metal of To/Die/For. Withering Surface's songs are rarely less than bursting with vibrancy, and it seems that down-tempo songs are an entirely alien concept to them, with each track on the album being packed full of frantic drumming, hyperactive riffing, bloody impressive solos and some throat-wrangling vocal gymnastics from the singer.
Keyboards are used sparingly in the songs, usually being utilised to add ambience and effect rather than to lay down an extra melody, meaning the focus lies on the riffs. The dual guitarists don't let us down here, a perfect example being the subdued but still impressive solo about a minute and a half into Night Of Shame.
There are some criticisms to be made, however. The songs can have a tendency to sound quite similar to one another if listened to with only half an ear, and the production means that the genuinely fantastic drumming can occasionally be buried behind the guitar riffs. Another production aspect is that the bass guitar is, for the most part, completely inaudible.
On the whole, however, Withering Surface have produced an excellent album that stands up extremely well both against its contemporaries and against their own previous efforts. With a little more variation in the songs, Withering Surface may well find Dimmu Borgir supporting them, and having their members guest on In Flames albums.
8/10
Copro Records - 2001
Go to the Copro Records web site.
The appeal of melodic metal obviously hasn't run quite dry yet, if Danish melodic thrashers Withering Surface are anything to judge by. This Scandinavian sextet already have quite an impressive pedigree - two albums ('Scarlet Sillhouettes' and 'The Nude Ballet') produced by Frederik Nordstrom - who has also produced bands like At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, a guest appearance by In Flames axe-weilder Jesper Stromblad, and a tour with black metal behemoths Dimmu Borgir.
Now, after a label change from Euphonious Records to UK based Copro Records, comes their sterling third album. And it's a damned good one too!
If you're looking for reference points to the sound of this band, obviously In Flames and Dark Tranquillity are good places to start - but also, I'd point a finger at the vibrant, up-beat and energetic metal of To/Die/For. Withering Surface's songs are rarely less than bursting with vibrancy, and it seems that down-tempo songs are an entirely alien concept to them, with each track on the album being packed full of frantic drumming, hyperactive riffing, bloody impressive solos and some throat-wrangling vocal gymnastics from the singer.
Keyboards are used sparingly in the songs, usually being utilised to add ambience and effect rather than to lay down an extra melody, meaning the focus lies on the riffs. The dual guitarists don't let us down here, a perfect example being the subdued but still impressive solo about a minute and a half into Night Of Shame.
There are some criticisms to be made, however. The songs can have a tendency to sound quite similar to one another if listened to with only half an ear, and the production means that the genuinely fantastic drumming can occasionally be buried behind the guitar riffs. Another production aspect is that the bass guitar is, for the most part, completely inaudible.
On the whole, however, Withering Surface have produced an excellent album that stands up extremely well both against its contemporaries and against their own previous efforts. With a little more variation in the songs, Withering Surface may well find Dimmu Borgir supporting them, and having their members guest on In Flames albums.
8/10
