Labels: Sotome
Review by: Tony Era
As far as I can tell this is a demo or ep and it’s ok to be honest. It’s very dirty, low and rumbling and pretty heavy.
It’s one of those albums that has slow riffs but it seems fast. I particularly like the vocals, he has that rare style where no matter how high he screams it always sounds like a low pitched growl. Great, especially when he goes g g r g r r G g G G R R RRGRRRAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very hard hitting but I think he knows its his best weapon as it happens slightly too often.
Guitars and bass interplay well whether its through rolling rhythms, long power chords or franctic riffing and chugging. I like bass that doesn’t follow the guitars much because when it does a feeling of unity hits the spot and it all comes together nicely. I especially like the last track “Reaction is a choice”. Tight guitars, jaw dropping roars and screams but to my annoyance, awful drums. I always think better to play one note well than try and play 100 badly, this applies to all instruments. Anyway the song breaks down nicely, builds up again and culminates in another AAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Pretty cool.
One problem is that I think the guitarists care a little bit too much about messing about with different sounds than getting down to it and rocking out. I would imagine that the guitars took up the bulk of the recordng time too and this made the drum sound is weak, hollow and quiet, to be honest the drummer isn’t up to much. If i was in this band i would give him a kick up the arse! The production and lack of focus lets this down a lot and it hindered my enjoying of the cd. It’s easy to pick out flaws in most music but when you can’t listen without hearing them it obviously affects it.
So not a bad little cd, good but not great very screamy metal orientated hardcore. Seems very DIY though and is very nicely presented. If they tightend up their sound and playing a bit I honestly reckon they could be up there with John Holmes and Beecher in the UK scene.