My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire CD Review

My Dying Bride

For Lies I Sire

Peaceville
2009

My Dying Bride return with the full force of doom on this epic record. I had not heard much other than their "A Line of Deathless Kings" album, which in it's own was great. For Lies I Sire was practically and impulse buy, and now it has definitely peaked my interest in this band. The special UK guitar edition pack even came with an extended booklet, a custom pick with the My Dying Bride logo on it and a 12 page guitar tab book! Never before have I heard of a band releasing their music with tab (or sheet music) to accompany it.

The album kicks off with the first epic, My Body, A Funeral, which sets the mood perfectly for the album to come. There's a mixture of instruments that make appearances throughout, including a piano interlude in Echoes From A Hollow Soul and cello in My Body, A Funeral. The album is full of memorable moments with riffs that play over and over in my head even long after hearing them. Santuario Di Sanguine is one of my most memorable songs, and rightfully so. It contains an interesting interlude with violin and sounds of horses and people, before going back into the most epic riff/vocal line I can recall.

The second last song in the album, A Chapter In Loathing, is completely different to everything else on the CD. It's fast, aggressive, and completely scream vocals. It reminds me a of of Diabolical Masquerade for some reason I cannot put my finger on, only that that must be a good thing. The production is flawless, and sounds great! Everything on this record is awesome, the artwork looks amazing in the extended booklet. I can't think of anything they could have done better, which is a rare occasion. I only wish they'd tour to Australia, but that's a topic for another day.

My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire is out now through Peaceville Records, I recommend it for any fans of decent metal.

Track List:
My Body, a Funeral
Fall With Me
The Lies I Sire
Bring Me Victory
Echoes From a Hollow Soul
ShadowHaunt
Santuario di Sangue
A Chapter in Loathing
Death Triumphant

Total running time: 59:51

CD Review: Futility

Futility

Futility
Unsigned
2009

Futility are one of Australia's premier Doom metal bands, and this year they released their debut self titled album, which includes a full listing of 6 reasonablylengthed songs. Futility hail from Canberra and are doing their best to mark their own section in the Australian metal community. In my opinion Futility are yet to meet their peak, but that doesn't mean that this album isn't good, infact it's quite the opposite. This album will likely be one of my most played Australian albums throughout 2009, and I can see this band being one of few I follow that keep getting better.

Futility released their album alongside Ironwood at the show in Canberra, which was a blast. Their live performance is pretty spot on, and the new album reflects that perfectly. What you hear on record is what you get live, which can be the aim of many bands, but also the downfall of many more. One of the most difficult objectives for a band.

Futility is full of solid riffing, flawless drumming and brutal vocals. The power behind some of these songs is just awesome, the intro to "My Sickness" makes me want to headbang like crazy, which, might I add, can be quite rare for me. They've got an original twist to their music which I can't put my finger on, butsome of their songs remind me of a few European bands, like Katatonia meets October Tide with a slice of In Mourning on the side. But since I hate comparing bands to others, I'll just say that as far as I can tell, Futility's sound is their own.

The production on this album is great. For another 2009 independent release from Australia's (often unappreciated) metal scene, these guys have done a great job on bringing the quality back to our metal! The performance on this album is absolutely flawless, it's not overdone with production, and as a result you get a nice raw sound. This really is how the band sounds live, which is a great accomplishment.

As many are probably aware, Katatonia's Brave Murder Day album has added a pretty decent influence to the community of decent doom metal bands we have around today, and Futility are no exception to that. Infact, this album even includes a cover of "Murder", from that very album of Katatonia's. Some may say this is a fatal mistake, to include another bands song on their own album, but I think it's awesome! It's always interesting to hear other bands interpretations of some of my favourite songs ever (which Murder fits into), and Futility have done a great job of recording this song.

Those who have no hope in the Australian metal scene, give this band a listen and see if you still feel the same after hearing it. And anyone else who is into decent metal, give Futility a go. This album has not disappointed me at all!

Futility - Futility
Track Listing
...Failed
Saline Oasis
My Sickness
Fallen
Nothing
Murder (Katatonia Cover)

Playing Time: 43:35

Check them out here:
www.myspace.com/futilitycanberra

Review of the Futility launch show:
Click Here

Cd Review: Ironwood :Fire:Water:Ash:

Ironwood

:Fire:Water:Ash:
Unsigned
2009

Ironwood's debut album, :Fire:Water:Ash:, is most likely one of 2009s best unsigned releases by far. These four awesome musicians from Sydney have yet again outdone themselves with this release. Since hearing their debut EP I have been waiting anxiously for this album to come into the light, and I must say, it's certainly refreshing to hear something so different to everything else that I hear these days.

:Fire:Water:Ash: is THE album to get if you're into metal with a twist like this. The music drifts through heavy and softer sections flawlessly, often flicking between both in one song. It caters to just about every musical need you may have. Some of the vocals on this album are very different from what I'm used to hearing from other bands, particularly the low sung ones. The Raven Song, and Tide Of Memory both contain beautifully sung harmonies, another of the many vocal techniques you'll hear throughout this album.

The bass is still as impressive as it was on the EP. Henry plays it much like a 'real' guitar (for the elitists), often with complicated bass lines. A few bass solos pop up here and there also (Like a bass should be played), which are quite impressive, particularly when the bass is usually forgotten by the listeners, and poorly played by the musician. Ironwood proudly bring the bass back towards the listeners attention with this. The guitars are also very well played, with many switches between electric and acoustic, and rightfully so. The musicianship on this record stands out really well, and you can really tell that these guys enjoy what they do, and have done for a long time.

Jarnvidr Gallows, a 12 minute epic, holds one of my favourite Ironwood moments towards the end of the song, with a half sung, whispered vocal line along a guitar part that'll send shivers down your spine. Audio clips are used cleverly all through this album also, with sounds of rain, birds, and other ambient noises popping up all over the place. River of Fire was known as "Yggr" on the EP, and it has returned with great triumph. This was my favourite song off that recording, and sounds heaps better with the new production. The second longest song on this epic album, and possibly the most epic.

The production as a whole is great, everything is flawless and sounds awesome, and the artwork is definitely something else to behold. For an independent release, it can't get much better than this, particularly with an Australian band. Ironwood is definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. :Fire:Water:Ash: is out now and worth every penny!!!

Track Listing:
Önd Ascending
The Oncoming Storm
The Raven Song
Jarvindr Gallows
The Serpent Seeks It's Tail
Tide Of Memory
Love In Death
River Of Fire
Eihwaz Descending

Playing time: 70:35

Available from:
http://www.ironwoodsound.com.au/

www.myspace.com/ironwoodband

Metaholic review of the :Fire:Water:Ash: launch show.

Cannibal Corpse "Evisceration Plague" review!

For a Death Metal band, a twenty year long career seems almost impossible, but Cannibal Corpse have safely passed across the two decade mark. But how on earth did they do it? With albums like their latest offering, "Evisceration Plague," and a helping hand of gory artwork, violent lyrics and a fair bit of controversy, it's no surprise why they're still here.

By far their most technical recording, "Evisceration Plague" is exactly what you would want from a Cannibal Corpse album. Song after song of their trade mark brutality, and razor sharp speed. Straight in with the blistering "Priests of Sodom", throughout the album, the sheer aggressiveness and intensity never stops. In contrast with the lightning speed, the band have also incorporated more slower tempo sections within their songs, and have even written the doomy, slower paced "A Cauldron of Hate".

This album also shows off some of the band's best performances and song writing skills. Guitarist Pat O'Brien and Rob Barret, delivers catchy, chuggy riffs. Drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz has never sounded so good, and the extraordinarily talented Alex Websters bass playing is still as great as ever, but I do feel that the bass has been drowned out a bit on some songs, due to the low tuned guitars.

The band's love and dedication for their music is obvious. Death Metal can be a limited genre, but Cannibal Corpse have done everything they can do with it, and have taken it to new levels. Is this the greatest Cannibal Corpse album? Tomb of the Mutilated is still their classic album, but "Evisceration Plague" is definitely up there with their best. It's great to see that even after twenty years, Cannibal Corpse can still bring out excellent albums.

Review: "Prevail" by Anadies

Artist: Anadies

Title: Prevail

Release Date: 9/19/2008

Playing in a female-fronted metal band has to be tough. It seems like it would be a constant uphill battle against the machismo of the genre at large, and a struggle to retain the female identity while simultaneously maintaining credibility with listeners who crave extremity.

And really, the mix is about half and half. Vocalists like Morgan Lander (Kittie) and Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) growl away like possessed beasts, but often come across as if they are just trying to keep up with the boys. Conversely, there are singers like Simone Simons (Epica) and Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) whose voices simply soar through the air (and often times out of sync with what the rest of their respective bands are playing) in a hyper-feminine, operatic style which can turn off listeners who don't read historical romance. Lacey Mosley (Flyleaf) sounds like a baby choking on a cat. Amy Lee (Evanescence) sounds like a cat choking on a baby. Is there any hope?

Yes. Yes there is. Enter Colorado's Anadies, a five-piece metal act fronted by Christy Lumberg whose sophomore album "Prevail" is a startlingly good middle-ground for listeners who crave the vocal harmonics of Lacuna Coil but who also want the aggressive and catchy melody lines of Killswitch Engage. Recorded and mixed at Flatline Audio by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Cobalt, Martriden), "Prevail" is a wonderfully-executed, richly diverse album with something for everybody.

There are influences abound throughout the proceedings, ranging from metal and goth to industrial and classical. The musicianship of the album is superb; the guitars are crunchy as hell with some killer leads, the rhythm section goes off like a machine gun, and the string arrangements and keyboards are subtle and haunting. However, the real treat of the album is Lumberg's vocals; her voice is perfectly suited to the way the songs are structured. She clearly has a wide range, but she displays discipline in that range. She doesn't seem compelled to go off into left field (or come in from out of it as the case may be) in the same self-aggrandizing way others within this genre tend to, which is very refreshing.

The album is rife with gems that stand up well to repeated listenings. The opening track, "Trials" starts out sweet enough but soon the time signature shifts and the claws come out on the chorus with Lumberg's voice soaring amidst a gut-wrenching (in a good way) onslaught of harsh guitars and dry-lung backing vocal roars. "F.T." recalls Pat Benetar and The Cranberries to some extent while "Nothing" is a smooth, bass-driven, Tool-esque prog-metal progression that segues into a truly anthemic piece by the end. And while one might fully expect the album to close with a quiet piano-driven dirge, Anadies surprises yet again with "Remorse," an up-tempo head bobber that ends with a full-speed cacophony of guitars and roars that seek to remind us of the aural beating we've just received.

The overall excellence of the album notwithstanding, the strongest track has to be "Visions." The song begins slow enough, but after an electronics-tinged bridge, the tempo kicks up and gets the head banging in a frenzy. Near the end of the song, the throttle comes back off with Lumberg really putting her voice on display and hitting some of the most hypnotic note progressions ever recorded.

All in all, "Prevail" is an extremely strong release and sure to put Anadies on the collective radar. Anyone who thinks they've heard it all in the world of female-fronted metal must hear Anadies to believe them.

Country: United States

Label: None
URL: http://www.myspace.com/anadies

http://www.anadies.com/

Review: "Cycles" by Rotten Sound

Artist: Rotten Sound
Title: Cycles
Release Date: 8/26/2008

Ahhh, grindcore. Is there any sweeter sound? Nothing gets the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping like an aural pummeling in the form of short bursts of organized chaos. Bands like Napalm Death, Pig Destroyer, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed have come to define the genre, while new blood like Antigama and Gadget are turning it on its ear and making it their own. However, of all of the new-school grind bands out there today, one would be hard pressed (or ignorant) not to immediately name Rotten Sound as one of the foremost acts in modern grindcore.

After a three-year hiatus (if you don't count EP's) "Cycles" is the band's follow up to 2005's superb "Exit." Anyone familiar with the band's previous work might purchase "Cycles" expecting more of the same. And to some extent they would be correct. All of the quintessential grindcore elements are present; short, to the point songs, vitriolic tirades against greed, religion, and the government delivered with dry-lung roars, thundering drums, and insane guitar riffs. However, said listener will be surprised and or shocked that the band has re-written their own rule book, and the results are quite refreshing.

While the band's other albums seem to be centered on a need to create the fastest, most violent music ever recorded, "Cycles" sees the band pulling back the throttle just a tad, and producing some more groove-oriented songs which recall Grave as much as Extreme Noise Terror. Slower, low-end buzzing on songs like "Alternews" entice us to nod our heads slowly, but the euphoria is soon disrupted by the breakneck speed of songs like "Deceit" and "Simplicity."

Overall, this is a excellent, ferocious release that stands up well to repeated listenings and shows us the kind of positive results that often come about by challenging convention and expectations.

Country: Finland
Label: Fontana Universal
URL: www.myspace.com/rottensound

Review: Resurrection of Reason by Try Redemption

Artist: Try Redemption
Title: Resurrection of Reason
Release Date: 3/15/2008

One of the more prevalent criticisms levied against death metal in the music press at large seems to be that there's nothing really new under the sun. It's all been done before and if a band isn't pushing the limits of extremity by cramming in as many blast beats and arpeggios as they possibly can, they are given short shrift for not "bringing anything new to the table."

However, unbridled, obnoxious brutality does not a decent death metal album make. Sometimes the best death metal isn't the most technical or littered with the most pig squeals or sweep picks. Sometimes, the best death metal simply has to be one thing: Memorable.

And if there's one thing that Try Redemption does well, it's write a memorable death metal song. Nay, MANY memorable death metal songs and then record and distribute them for us to enjoy. Hailing from Colorado Springs, CO USA, a city considered by many to be the last bastion of American Christian Conservativism (i.e: the last f'ing place you'd expect to find a death metal band this sick), this five-piece cadre of childhood friends not only knows how to write a memorable hook, but manages to pummel the listener into utter submission while doing so.

"Resurrection of Reason," the group's third self-released LP, was recorded and produced at Flatline Audio by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Cobalt) and whatever they paid him was well worth it. The production perfectly complements the two-guitar barrage of Jon Daigle and John Peterson, James Peterson's thundering drums, Chris "Tucker" Walter's intricate basslines, and vocalist Chris "Hammer" Walker's tortured, guttural screams. The man does good work.

The strongest aspect of this album is that each song has a life of its own; there's no "filler tracks." From the aural assault of the opening tracks "Soaked in Blood" (which has what is undoubtedly the sickest mid-tempo breakdown EVER) and "Blind Faith," (where a militaristic, chopping march gives way to a killer jazz groove) to the Enslaved meets Amon Amarth "Resurrection" (affectionately referred to by the band as "the viking song") and the enticingly (and unexpectedly) melodic "Black Skies," there's plenty of substance here to keep perked the ears of even the most discerning death metal aficionado.

Try Redemption have by no means reinvented the death metal wheel, but they have made the wheel a hell of a lot catchier than 90% of the acts out there today.

Country: United States
Label: None
URL: www.myspace.com/tryredemption

Review: A Fragile Hope by Devil Sold His Soul

Artist: Devil Sold His Soul
Title: A Fragile Hope
Release Date: August 5, 2008

One of the more unique aspects of the metal genre is all of the subgenres therein. It never stops with just "metal." There's Black Metal, Death Metal, Power Metal, and of the myriad "-core's." It's also interesting to see the lines that sometimes get drawn in the sand between fans of the different genres, and it's not often you see many arms reaching across the aisles.

But sometimes, a band comes along and creates a sound that infuses all of the right elements at all of the right times while breaking boundaries and blurring lines and turns out something so unique and powerful that it will send chills up the spine of the most rabid of Anathema and Opeth's fans as it will devotees of Converge and Mouth of the Architect.

Devil Sold His Soul have done just that.

"A Fragile Hope" is a thick, heady, epic exercise in thoughtful ferocity that incites rage inasmuch as it tugs at our softer nature. At times, the sound can be harsh enough to start one's head banging in a frenzy, while at others it maintains its expressiveness without venturing too far into "emo" territory.

The dry-lung screams wrap themselves around a barrage of crashing guitars and thudding basslines while higher-end (but not too high....Iced Earth fans, I'm talking to you) clean vocal and softer guitar interludes move in and out amongst the organized chaos. The interplay of the two styles is so in-tune with the music and the emotions expressed that it's almost "too good."

"The Starting" is the album's most popular track (they have a video available for it, anyway) and perfectly encapsulates DSHS's overall sound, while "At The End of the Tunnel" probably has the sharpest teeth.

But the high point of the album is "Dawn of the First Day," a groovy, emotionally-charged, crushing song that basically eludes every adjective in my vocabulary. Let us just say that the song is best enjoyed at a volume just below "bleeding ears."

"A Fragile Hope" is an amazing album, and even as I listen to it now, I find myself wondering how I even managed to put into words my adulation of this achievement when I could have summed it all up in one word:

Incredible.

Country: United Kingdom

Label: Eyes of Sound Records

URL: www.myspace.com/devilsoldhissoul

The Autumn Offering - interview with Matt McChesney (vocals) and album review

I’ve been lucky enough to get to speak with Matt, vocalist for The Autumn Offering, online using myspace. Later on I’m gonna put the review for their latest album in here, along with Matt’s thoughts and comments on each song. Scroll down to the album cover for the start of the review. Matt’s words are in green.

Before I begin, here’s a link to the band’s myspace, so you can listen while you read: CLICK HERE

What are your general feelings on the album? (Fear Will Cast No Shadow) Are you proud of it? Does it give off the vibe you wanted it to?

Very proud of it. I think it’s the best metal CD that came out that year. Listen to the hooks. The solos, most importantly, the songs. So few metal bands these days have actual songs. You can’t write a song around a breakdown.

Who are the fans you feel you are trying to reach?

I'm not trying to reach anyone. I write for myself. I love that people like it, I really do. I'm the most appreciative cat you'll meet. ..but if no one cared what I wrote, I’d still be doing it. It was never about money fame or women.

What's your favourite thing about being lead vocalist for TAO?

To play with 4 of the best musicians I’ve ever seen.

As an artist, what is your intended destination/goal, and the things you hope to achieve on the way there?

It changed so much. This industry has made me very bitter. It’s bulls*** you know. A lot of these bands, they are f***ing phonies. I don’t name names. I guess I just hope to create good art,..and if people like it I’m happy.

And some less open questions...
What made you get into metal in the first place?

One word. Metallica.

Your myspace says you're working out for the apocalypse...if it came, could you take it?

Haha good question. I can take anything. The s**t I’ve been through in my life would make you sick. Drug abuse, violence, prison. Finding God losing God. I'm ready for anything man. I've lived the lyrics I write.

And if you got to save one guy/girl, who would it be and why?

Hmmm...I'd save my mother, because I'm Italian, and that’s what a good son would do.

For me, as a UK fan, I'd love to see you guys over here. Is that something you're looking into or are you getting more established in the states first?

Soon I hope. I could get into a whole thing about why we haven’t been there yet, but it would just add fuel to an already bright fire. We will get there. And we appreciate all the emails and love from our UK fans!!

What's your dream line-up for a gig/festival? (It can include TAO or not)

I'd love to tour with Metallica, they are still the kings in my eyes.

If you died tomorrow and had to have a lyric on your headstone, what would it be? It can be either something you've written or not.

Alfred Lord Tennyson - "All things must die"

OK then, here goes with the review. Fear Will Cast No Shadow has been out since last October, and is TAO’s 3^rd album, and the first with Matt on vocals. Here’s the track by track, and again scroll to the red writing for the conclusion.

The album kicks off with the harmonic guitars and clean vocals of From Atrophy to Obsession. “Atrophy was written about the deterioration of a certain relationship in my life. When things are at their worst, sometimes that's when we realize they were worth having. One tends to obsess about what they did wrong, what they could have changed etc. Hence the title of the song. It has a lot of cool guitar in this song, and a cool sweep solo.” The chorus for the song is brilliantly catchy, driving the song forwards with skilled guitar work and Matt’s vocals. This song was the first video made from the album (see it HERE) and it's easy to see why - it's easy to get into the song without it being simple.

Next track, The Castaway “is a metaphor for being cast out, rejected and unheard. The ocean has always fascinated me, it's so massive and ominous. I love the Meshuggah type breakdown in this song and the solo is a face-melter.” The intro is heavier and this song sees some brilliant drumming, especially in the fills. Another catchy chorus slots into the song nicely before the strong solo.

Crown Yourself King “is very metaphorical as well. I tend to do that quite often. The song is a giant middle finger. The lyrics are pretty straight forward for me. The title basically means sometimes when you live for yourself, you hurt the ones around you.” A roaring beginning to the song takes the short verse into the chorus. A piano interlude leads into a good break with another impressive solo, before finishing with piano again.

Silence And Goodbye “is basically part two of Atrophy. More of the healing process though. Saying goodbye, accepting things for what they are. The song is vocal-orientated, as most ballads are. Tons of vocal harmonies on this one. I believe the line "you walked away and left me to crawl" is 5 voices.” This song is really the one for me that makes me think ‘how the f*** aren’t this band huge?’ The song sounds a bit like Dying In Your Arms, however this has intelligent lyrics (I think ‘you poisoned my life, now I take this knife’ is all I need to say – Heafy showing he can write like a primary school poet when he wants to), a better tune and better musicianship.

Video for SILENCE AND GOODBYE

Following on is All That Falls Around Us, beginning with thrashier drums and a double-length verse before another sing-along chorus. Matt says it’s “the only postive thing I’ve ever written. It's an homage to my girlfriend for keeping me strong through tough times...pretty gay...hahaha. No, it’s a ripping track, very thrashy.”

A Great Distance. “Best song on the record and in my opinion of 2007. Very catchy chorus. Little known fact: Jason Suecof and myself were listening to like r n b songs when I was writing this chorus. This song just flat out rules.” Complex guitar work behind the verse leads onto a shorter ‘taster’ of a chorus, leaving you wanting more. The break comes, announced by some roaring savagery making for some great pit-fodder, and the listener is then treated to the chorus again.

The war-like intro of Your time is mine comes next. “Hmmm...I love love love this chorus. It’s like a straight outta 87 arena rock chorus. It sounds like the f***ing Scorpions or something.” Some neat ride cymballing (has that phrase ever been used before?) in the chorus accents the brilliant vocal line, and the song finishes on the chorus, fitting together beautifully.

Fear Will Cast No Shadow begins with a grunt and a verse with some nice blast beating. The partly screamed and sung chorus leads into a very ‘thrash metal’ sounding solo. It’s “probably the heaviest track the band has ever done. Pretty much straight up death metal. Awesome whammy bar solo and blast beats a plenty. Best lyrical song on the album. It’s about a man’s struggle with life and death, God and Christ. The chorus is a conversation between the man and God. A lot of biblical references here. I was a catholic school boy, and they thrived on scaring us. So this is a f*** you to them, hence the title, fear will cast no shadow.”

March Of The Clones “is about drug abuse. I love the line "I cant see the strings....yet I feel them pulling..." I did some falsetto vocal harmonies in this. Very cool stuff.” The song sounds slower than the others, and has the same brutal roar before the sung chorus again. The slowdown in the tempo is a nice change before...

The bass intro of The Wolves At Your Door. The song ploughs on as strong as any other on the album, and ends on some savage roaring effects before fading out. Matt says it’s “another metaphorical song. The wolves at your door are the monkey on your back. Be it a woman, drugs, whatever. We all have them.” A song that people can relate to.

Dystopiate – Glorious bass tones lead from a marching intro into a song that’s all screaming and brutality. The song, and album, end on an interesting and odd solo. “I combined two words dystopia and opiate. It’s about the downfall of our civilisation. The lyrics are very negative and looking back they disgust me. Great solos on the end from Tommy, Jason and Ralph Santolla.

This album is a very impressive piece of work, especially when you consider it being Matt’s first with the band, as well as there being a new drummer for this album (who has now been replaced again). It’s a lot different to their previous albums, with clean vocals making it more accessible but no less heavy. Matt's brutal roar fits perfectly over some skilled guitarwork, grunting bass and pounding drums, and when the singing starts the songs really come alive. With this collection of brilliant songs the band have proven that they have the talent and song writing ability to be extremely big, so it really is a mystery to me that they aren’t. More to come I’m sure, but for now give this a listen, it really was one of the best albums of 2007.

9/10

And a final word from Matt…

Anything more you want to add, or say to the guys/girls here who are listening?

"Be open to all music. Don't take life too seriously. Metal fans tend to be angry. It's a waste of time. Get it out in music, but take care of each other."

Cheers to Matt for answering the questions and tolerating the fact it was my first interview. Pictures are from TAO’s myspace.

Anterior - This Age of Silence

Here we go guys with my first album review on here, reviewed on the plane on my way to Rhodes, the time flew by!
The Welsh 5 piece’s debut offering brings only 9 tracks to the table, 2 of which are interludes. Following is a more precise track by track analysis and review, scroll down to the red writing for a short conclusion.

Intro track Ghosts of Dawn builds slowly with harmonising guitars and pounding drums, leading straight into The Silent Divide. The double pedal, riffing and scream are a little reminiscent of Ascendancy-era Trivium, or Poison-era BFMV. The lyrics never seem to be rushed, yet do not drone, a quality that is present throughout the whole album. The vocals are either spoken or screamed – yet the scream is easily decipherable, not unlike Anders Friden of In Flames-fame. The Silent Divide in particular has a haunting chorus, the likes of which rarely found without clean vocals.

Dead Divine gets off to a similar, yet different, start with the band’s Scandinavian influences showing through again with a very Arch Enemy sounding break in the song, using delayed guitar effects. This song also holds some brilliant solos.

Days of Deliverance is the shortest song so far (excluding the intro of course) clocking in at just over 4 minutes long. A simpler verse riff than the previous songs’ leads into a shorter chorus. Again this song has some good guitar work – particularly listen out for the sweeping solos.

Human Hive begins with the familiar ‘yaaargh’ scream and the use of natural harmonics introduces the song nicely. A slowed down section in this song lends itself more to some groove metal bands, and a gratuitously long instrumental break and solo lead back in for some final vocals.

The seamless transition into acoustic interlude Stir of Echoes shows an ambitious attempt. Strings and effective yet simple riffs make this a good break from the loudness, and a little fret-buzz picked up is the only indication of the band’s inexperience. The track shows real promise for a future full length instrumental one.

Scar City’s title may sound like a bad sci fi series but it’s actually another 6 minute tune from the most metal of boyos. A similar verse and chorus riff drive the song on, but for me it’s the drums building back in after a quieter break in the song that steal it here. I think the guy in seat 19E could tell I was trying hard not to nod my head along. However, with the similarity of verse and chorus riffs the song seems to stagnate a little and could possibly do with being shorter.

The darker sounding chords of Seraph begin another 6 ½ minute track with an accessible chorus with riffs neither being overly complex or too simple. Whispering vocals are present here, fading the song back from a break into the outro.

The title track, This Age of Silence, starts with some odd chords compared with the rest of the album and takes longer to find its feet as a song. A beatdown appears to be preferred to an epic solo in this song, yet the solo merely has to wait til a little later – being a little slower and understated compared to those that have come previously on the album.

Anterior seem to combine the sounds of Scandinavian metal with the accessibility of more commercial bands such as Trivium/BFMV. The album is produced well, and for a debut the content is a brilliant achievement. The band are brave not to succumb to putting in clean vocals for the sake of it, nor are there wall to wall beatdowns. Uncompromising and more traditional solos litter the album, but with the musicianship on display listening to them is a pleasure.

I’m not sure if I’m gonna give ratings for albums I review on here, but if I were to with this one, I’d say 8/10.