Metal Reviews

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DAMN this is a good week!

"New-Wave Of American Metal" ? Why not "metalcore"?

Yes, why not for once stick to the given genres and not make up new ones for every album?

I chose that because Metalcore isn't an accurate description. It's too limiting, not to mention it puts these guys in the same boat as bands way less talented as them.

At least people then know what you are talking about...

Dude, it's a genre, it always has good and bad stuff. But for some reason everyone denies the fact that it is also possible to have good metalcore.

I get a kick out of seeing you guys get so worked up over what genre I chose to put these guys in. If someone wants to know what they sound like, read the review.

Sounds like early In flames simply put and very well done. I dont hear much American influence personally and very little hardcore or metalcore. These guys have been heavily influenced in the Swedish scene from Day 1 from what I have read and they are finally getting a grasp on it without having to gain appeal from the hardcore and punk kids. Sadist nation got their interest and now they are doing what they want to do. Maybe and album like this can save the American Metal scene?
Hope so!

Hmm I would still regard this as very much an American band styllistically. They remind me much more of my favoured metalcore bands- eg Unearth- than swedish melodeath or anything like that.

Good though.

I'm currently listening to this for the first time. So far it's pretty good but i won't be able to form a good solid opinion till i have given it a couple more spins.

I thought it was good, but not original and dynamic enough to be great. I much prefer The Black Dahlia Murder's recent release, Miasma.

Like Unearth did with their last album, DH has shed any remaining hints of their past and put together a slick faceless attempt to be one with the swedes. Since they are by far less talented songwriters than their musical peers their album is even less interesting. It doesn't surprise me to see such a high rating from Nathanael, Darkest Hour are just the latest media darlings to throw away their identity (as lacking as it was even before this album) to a parade of label-whoring, while decent bands attempting to forge original sounds for themselves are continually overlooked (Byzantine for example). Even BDM did better than this, and the vocals on that cd are so completlely awful that they rank among the most embarrasing and accidentally hilarious moments in music.

It amazes me that you claim in your profile to be supporting bands that make music "regardless of trends and fads" and yet you continue to throw out high 80 and 90 ratings to the latest buzz bands on the scene and help move along the hype machine a little further.

Byzantine are great, assuming you have the 'Take Up Serpents' album, is it good all the way through? The tracks I heard aare all very impressive.

To Radical Cut (that's one of my fav songs by the way, the keyboard solo at the ends makes me feel like I'm travelling through space and time haha)

I totally respect your opinion. I haven't heard Byzantine but I figure I'll check them out.

When I review CDs, the number marks I assign them are pretty much irrelevant (not completely but I dont really spend very much energy on them). I put more energy into my words. Basically, if I enjoy an album, I'll give a good review. Pretty basic. It's never been about hyping anything, if I think something is good, I'll say it. Part of the reason I like this album so much is because it's not "Hidden Hands.. Part 2". These guys are really honing their skills without repeating themselves and I would love to see them keep progressing and recieve the recognition they deserve. I don't really give a shit about undergroud this or that. I'd rather more people listen to bands like this.

Either way, I respect your opinion but believe me when I say I'm just as sick of clone bands as you are. However, when an album as good as this comes along, I'll give it the respect it deserves, whether it's by Darkest Hour, or a band noones ever heard of.

Their back catalogue is better, though none of it is really phenom work. Hmmm. Radical is someone I can agree with on many issues it'd seem, but I won't go so far as to say you're fueling a machine. It only seems that way. I'm sure you'll start pleasing some readers eventually.


HAHA JOKE.

Zad, I only managed to pick up Serpents recently, but yeah so far I love it. It piles on the riffs and the solos are absolutely top-notch. I can see the vocals turning some people off, but they're fairly diverse so you're bound to find at least one style you like. But yeah, the album is very solid, and if you liked the songs you heard you definitely can't go wrong with picking it up.

Nathanael, I guess it makes more sense if you put it that way. And I do read the reviews, like someone brought up in the BDM thread, I guess I'm just too passionate about the scores for my own good. I understand that one guy's idea of evolution is another's definition of sellout, we just happen to hit different sides of that for this album. I just get so tired of seeing all the hype about this album with the label pimping it as "album of the decade" and "the next great metal album". We can both still enjoy Arcturus at any rate.

Arcturus all around!

Arcturus saves the day again! Do they get some kind of medal?

i love the album, idk how its new wave or anything, sounds like hardcore vocals, and some melo-death, but other than that i just dont see anything NEW WAVE abooott it

I like this album, it's fine. The second song on the album, Convalescence is my favoritue so far.