I could tell just from looking at the front cover of BackTheory’s latest release - Don’t Throw Out the Window, that I was going to hate it. When I think of crossover, I think of thrash meeting hardcore, but unfortunately at some unforgiving stage in the early 90’s, metal combined with rap. I blame Anthrax. The hardcore punk elements of this album are good, but the overpowering repulsive alternative rap metal cliché that dominates the record, destroys it.
I can’t stand this band, they are fucking terrible. Metal should have never been disgraced with this shit. Maybe I’m being harsh, maybe I’m not the right person to be reviewing this album, but it bemuses me to think how anyone in their right mind can actually like this cheap formulaic trash.
I like hip hop, I like metal, but putting them together is like mixing human excrement with ice cream, they don’t go together.
Shit Sandwich!
2/10
The front cover of POM’s ‘Sleepwalker’, emits a subtle spray of homo-erotica. However, I was surprised when the first track blissfully tapped itself through an over elaborate solo guitar instrumental; I wasn’t expecting it. Track two begins in a similar virtuosic style, and doesn’t stop. Eh? Can it be this whole album is just a collection of acoustic tapping?
No, track three introduces something different. Thank goodness for that, nine tracks of showing off would be too much for even Steve Vai to handle. Electronic drums accompany the acoustic melody driven instrumental ‘Propeller’, but not good electronic drums - cheap and tacky ones. I then began to question how much money had been spent on this album, and if this record label have any money at all. The drums were just too much for me to take; I had to skip the track.
‘Cowboy Junkie’ is a really nice song, but is still tainted with that awful kit. Fuck, it wouldn’t have cost much to get a drummer in for the day. There is no doubt in my mind that this man is very talented, he composes his songs very intelligently with a firm understanding of classical form, as showcased in ‘Purple Room’. This song really stands out, as he focuses more on composition than virtuosic playing - although he can’t help himself at times. ‘Sleepwalker’ has a Latin jazz feel to it and is executed very effectively through use of chromatic movements. Just try and ignore those drums.
This is a very nice album, written by a very talented individual and I hope it reaches the audience that it should. I don’t understand why anyone would try and market this album under the umbrella of metal; I think it’s a shame. Also, although I prefer the unaccompanied guitar instrumentals, I think a drummer is required for those slightly more upbeat tracks.
7/10
Damaste are an interesting combination of hardcore, thrash, and death metal. The death metal influences are evident through use of vocal technique and lyrical subject matter. Thrash metal resonates through the remaining instruments, whilst virtuosic and stupidly fast hardcore breaks connect the missing piece.
Five Degrees and a Prophecy is a good album, but I have to criticize the production. There has been simply too much editing, tightening, gating, and cheating. Each individual drum hit isn’t supposed to sound identical, and metronomic accuracy does not exist. The human being has been taken out of this album and replaced with an emotionless robot. Unfortunately this sometimes happens with metal, but not usually to this extent. I wouldn’t be surprised if the drum hits are triggered samples - they sound too good.
The album is good, with well written songs and an interesting take on style. I’ll be listening to it again, but I’d like to see them live to make sure that they aren’t just a studio band.
7/10
The Day After is a five track E.P recently released by the metalcore band Shine Box.
The press release included with this E.P, mentions influences such as Deftones, Korn and Amen, but whilst listening to their self titled track The Day After, I didn’t feel any of that. The melodic singer isn’t technically very good, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can sometimes add a certain charm, but the uncertainty of pitch forced me to think of grunge instead of metal.
‘Through The Lights’ started off in a lyrically vague depressing manner, which sounded very clichéd and typical. They no longer sounded like a grunge band, but rather a generalization of the style of music they promote themselves by. I went off them quite quickly.
There are highlights within the E.P, the song ‘Shine’ for instance stands out above the others with its very powerful driving chorus. But there wasn’t anything that really blew me away, there wasn’t anything truly innovative or inspired about this release.
5/10
Fall Jerusalem Fall set to be released on the 19th December by The Drowning, is a very well written album. Their style of Doom and Death metal is an interesting combination that seems to work perfectly.
The production of the album is shit, and sounds like it has been recorded in somebody’s bedroom. The mastering process must have been done by someone wearing ear plugs, as it digitally distorts and drops as a consequence of compressors and limiters not being used right. I’ve never heard a snare sound so bad in my life. It just doesn’t sound like it’s been mixed. It’s as if someone’s said, lets put some reverb on that, make that sound a bit shit by boosting the wrong frequency, get the volumes sounding about right, and that’s it.
The album’s brilliant though, and I don’t know exactly why. Maybe the shite production values are subconsciously appealing to me, but I doubt it. There is nothing especially technical included in this album, the lead guitar is even slightly childish with its overly simplistic, not especially good, accompanying melodies - but it works. Heavy as fuck album, let down by shoddy production.
7.5/10
http://www.myspace.com/backtheory
http://www.pom-guitarist.com/
http://www.myspace.com/damaste
http://www.myspace.com/shinebox01
http://www.myspace.com/thedrowninguk
Stephen Evans
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