Suidakra - Signs for the Fallen
Century Media
Folk Influenced Blackened Melodeath
10 songs (42:33)
Release year: 2003
Suidakra, Century Media
Reviewed by Jay

When I first started listening to this album, I wasn’t really sure what to make of it. It begins very much in the Gothenburg style but quickly layers on thick folk, Celtic and Spanish influences. They could be another Cruachan if they weren’t German. Needless to say that I was impressed. In some ways they could even be construed as the poor man’s Opeth. This band is certainly unique and this terrific album is a testament to their strengths. Blending several styles together is often difficult but it has done seemingly effortlessly here.

The title track exhibits some definite Iced Earth influence. It’s a kickass song with especially strong vocals and well placed breakdowns and solos. The songwriting is one of the factors that allows the music to shine so much. Arranging these influences in such a coherent and aurally pleasing manner is no small feat and it is appreciated. The short interlude “Threnody” encapsulates what we associate as elvish style metal with the keyboard tuning of Dimmu Borgir creating a serene and superficially warm environment, which is ripped away with the beginning of the next song “Trails of Gore.” While being named similar to something by Wurdulak, it's a Dark Tranquility styled riff-a-thon. Slower melodic guitars are offset by the power and aggression of the faster yet less melodic but more technical verse parts. Dual soloing abounds and everything is correct as the band thrashes on. “The Ember Died” is a Spanish guitar influenced break between songs. Again Suidakra pulls no punches when it comes to the folk stylings on the album.

The opener, “Revenant,” begins with menacing music that could function as the soundtrack to the game Quake. Once the bass and snare punishment begins, the band never looks back. Some people who hated Reroute to Remain should check this out. This is what they want In Flames to sound like. One thing that didn’t really do much for me was the bass drum sound. They went for the more clicky sounding kick as most death metal bands feature. If this was Suffocation, I wouldn’t question the choice but the music calls for a much more subtle bass sound. Not all bands need to be Kataklysm. The closer, “A Vision’s Demise,” falls into the same category as “Revenant” in that this could be In Flames. There is more of a black influence than ever before. It does sound like parts of Reroute to Remain and Jester Race but blackened. It’s quite interesting to checkout especially with the great soloing and instrumentation all around. For the folky feel again try “When Eternity Echoes” on for size. This is the most Celtic and would have been greatly accentuated with a flutist or a piper on the song. It rocks but the extra accompaniment would have made this a really memorable song and even better first single.

A veteran metal outfit delivers another gem. Anyone who says the Gothenburg sound is dead has another thing coming. It’s being transmogrified and split. There is a newer sound and then the more blackened sound. This fits in the second category. It seems to be a free for all with the combinations of genre’s lately but Suidakra is one of the awesome bands to come out of this miscegenation.

Killing Songs :
A Vision’s Demise, Revenant, Trails of Gore
Jay quoted 85 / 100
Chris quoted 93 / 100
Other albums by Suidakra that we have reviewed:
Suidakra - Book of Dowth reviewed by Jaime and quoted 77 / 100
Suidakra - Auld Lang Syne reviewed by Khelek and quoted 86 / 100
Suidakra - Crogacht reviewed by Alex and quoted 80 / 100
Suidakra - Emprise To Avalon reviewed by Chris and quoted 90 / 100
Suidakra - The Arcanum reviewed by Chris and quoted 94 / 100
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