Review Summary: UTE is a very young group, ages around 17-19 years old but you wouldn't know it listening to their music, it is good, solid heavy metal fun.
www.myspace.com/utend
Until the End is a local heavy metal band from Russell, Pennsylvania. Now I know what your thinking, it's just another local band who will never make it anywhere and are just a show for the local hardcore kids to mosh to. Am I right? Well, if you think that let me tell you that this band is anything but that. UTE is one of many metal bands in my area and I can honestly tell you that they are the only one of two I honestly think should make it anywhere in the music business, Discidium being the other. These guys are talented and heavy as hell.
Until the End consists of:
Nate Mahaffey (Guitars)
Steve Cummings (Guitar/Vocals)
Graham (Fuzz) Mahaffey (Drums)
Mike Hutley (Bass)
Now for the review. Since it is only a 5 song demo I feel the only way I can review the cd is track-by-track, sorry.
Decision of Sentence is the first track off of the cd and starts with a palm muting guitar riff. Not complex, but heavy and pretty catchy. It repeats itself a few times before the vocals kick in. Steve has a pretty mean growl, he sounds a bit like Mikeal Akerfelt from Opeth and Randy Blythe from Lamb of God, which are easily some of their biggest influences. It then proceeds to the chorus which has some power chords and some tremolo picking, very atmospheric. It also contains some pretty bad ass lyrics if I don't say so myself, "You have been tried, and you have been found. Guilty for all, of your crimes. Decision of Sentence, has been made. And in front of us all, you will die." Easily my favorite lyrics on the demo. After the verse and chorus repeating itself it goes to a bridge which has some pretty catchy guitar parts. Goes back to the chorus and ends on some heavy chords. Good song.
Next is Regret. To make it short, it sounds a lot like Walk With Me in Hell. The notes aren't the same, but the formula of the song resembles it. It's not a special song but it is great live and shows off Steve's deep growls and Graham's talent on drums.
Asylum then kicks in and is easily the bands heaviest recorded song. It starts out with an awesome palm muted riff on guitar with Fuzz double kicking away fast as hell. Then the palm muted riff is harmonized with what I think is my favorite riff by them. The vocals kick in and I was amazed first time I heard it. "Trapped in my own mind!" My god it is so good, you just can’t help but scream along to it. Towards the end of the song their is a riff that reminds me of Hourglass by Lamb of God, just different chords sped up with triplets.
Song four is A Poison Exists. Stars off a little slow with some power chords and trem picking but proceeds into a breakdown. This is no hardcore breakdown though and is not your standard open Drop D palm muting one. When played live I just can’t help but smile at how good it is, it is balls to the wall heavy, and then the drums stop and an awesome lick is played by the guitarists. Then the drums kick back in. Hard to explain but if you listen you will see what I am saying. Later in the song a similar sounding breakdowns occurs again later in the song, and then Steve busts out the first solo of the demo and damn is it good. It's not super technical but fits with the song so well. The breakdown riff continues for a short bit after the solo and song is then over.
Now you are probably thinking, where is this Opeth influence I was talking about kick in? Well it kicks in right now, enter the last song, Triple. Due to their orginality(sarcasm) they named the song after the picking technique used in the main riff, the triplet. I lied about Asylum containing my favorite riff from them, because this is it right here. Simple, easy to play, but it’s just one of those guitar riffs that makes ya think, “This is the definition of THE heavy metal riff!” After repeating itself 5-6 times it goes into a breakdowneqsue part and a damn heavy one it is. It is then harmonized on guitar and if you like the band Poison the Well, it sounds a bit like the harmonized breakdown in Slice Paper Wrists, only with pinch harmonics. After the breakdown the song goes back to the opening riff, another breakdownesque part, and you think the song is over.... WRONG. Acoustic guitar kicks in and it is the most unique thing I think they have written to date. A three minute long outro that can only be described as Opeth. A simple guitar solo and you start thinking to yourself that it could be a Pink Floyd solo your listening too, but it is not. The song then ends shortly after and ends the demo.
Well, thats the demo I give it a 4.5/5, only reason not being a perfect score is it is only 5 song. I'm sorry the review was a little screwy but I couldn't see any other way to describe the demo without doing a play by play, track by track review. And I wouldn't waste my time writing this review for a local metal band if it weren't for the fact that I think these guys are damn good. So do yourself a favor and check them out if you like bands like Lamb of God, Opeth, Machine Head, Black Label Society, or any other metal acts. I don't think you will be disappointed! Oh and hardcore kids, don't check these guys out, you will be sad that there aren’t enough moshable breakdowns for you.
Pros:
Heavy Guitar
Great Drumming
Great vocals
No Hardcore breakdowns (Because who isn’t sick of breakdowns these days?)
Cons:
Bass kinda hard to hear
