 | Tracklist:
1. Natural Causes
2. Shifting Skies Like Nothing
3. For New Creation
4. The Signal
5. Espanol
6. Non-Linear Parallels
7. Silent Betrayal
8. Interface
9. Boundless Intent Part 3
10. Sensory Endeavour
11. Transpiration
12. Undivided
Release Date: 10/18/2011 | |
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On 4 Lists
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| Summary: If you would like to think over the rather difficult question about what are the pathways whereby one band becomes popular and another wallows in obscurity, check out this album. Oh, and you probably should also like listening to bands like Atheist. |
3 of 5 thought this review was well written
I will never understand for the life of me why technical metal bands with a great sense of creativity, groove, melodies, and harmonies plus insane and original solos like Alarum are almost unknown, whereas cookie cutter technical death metal bands (too many to name) that just make plain horrible, awful, ultrafast and ultimately unlistenable music with vocals that sound like a guy trying desperately to win a $1000 bet whether he can ruin his vocal chords permanently within 40 minutes or less and with the same boring sweep patterns stolen from Necrophagist played over and over again (albeit really ***ing fast) obtained lots of currency within the underground metal scene and became the "in" trend about 4-5 years ago. It really makes me ponder the meaning of life and why anyone in metal bothers doing anything involving melody.
If you would also like to ponder the meaning of life and the rather difficult question about what are the pathways whereby one band becomes popular and another wallows in obscurity, you should check out this album. Oh, and you probably should also like listening to bands like Atheist.
In their long-awaited (by me) follow-up to "Eventuality," Alarum offers more of their distinctive sound. To my ears at least, their style of chugging riffing patterns, which are often followed closely by clean arpeggiated chords which are allowed to ring out, are unique within the technical metal genre, and sound closer to thrash sources, such as the aforementioned Atheist, than death metal sources. The drumming, like the rhythm guitar work, shows great finesse and does not fall into any of the usual cliches of the genre. I consider the solos incredible both from a purely technical standpoint--they sound fast and clean, like Chris Broderick's on "Endgame" to pull a reference slightly out of left field, but what is more impressive is the guitarist Mark Evans' phrasing. It really is top notch and is what separates him from so many other who put a sock on their neck, sweep up and down, and think they've done something cool. The vocals are also closer to the thrash tradition than death metal and are somewhat of a weak spot, but they fit the music and I'd much rather have this kind of vocals than the harsh, growling, passing-a-kidney stone vocals or the operatic, falsetto vocals that so plague so many other metal bands with this type of instrumentation.
There are a few more musical surprises on this disc (intrusions from other genres--I won't ruin them for you) than their previous album. The majority of them work, but a couple fall a bit flat.
Please pardon me that Cynic's "Focus" is in the "similar album" list. It's really not that similar, and besides, "Focus" is sui generis.
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Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
I hope this sucker get approved. First review and all that. And admittedly a few liberties were taken.
| | | Album Rating: 3
albums not bad yea
Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler Digging: Gary Glitter - kiddy diddler | | |
damn my hounds of love review isnt gonna get any time up the top 
good first though
Digging: Ire - Ire Digging: Ire - Ire
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
Nice to see this get a review : )
Digging: Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight Digging: Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight | | | Album Rating: 4.5
this is one of my favorite bands. natural causes is great but doesn't top Eventuality. 4.7
Digging: Spawn of Possession - Incurso Digging: Spawn of Possession - Incurso | | | Album Rating: 3
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This might be interesting, I'll check, kinda have a feelin' it'll suck tho.
Hope is does'nt cuz I like myself a little bit of jazz.
Digging: Wintersun - Time
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
This is a really really wordy review I mean you use like six clauses per sentence did you notice that it all kind of runs together it does.
Album was cool but it's a little thinly produced in my opinion. It doesn't have as much power as it could have, and the vocals are kinda bad.
Digging: The Mayan Factor - 44 | | | Album Rating: 3.5
I will never understand for the life of me why technical metal bands with a great sense of creativity, groove,
melodies, and harmonies plus insane and original solos like Alarum are almost unknown, whereas cookie cutter
technical death metal bands (too many to name) that just make plain horrible, awful, ultrafast and ultimately
unlistenable music with vocals that sound like a guy trying desperately to win a $1000 bet whether he can ruin his
vocal chords permanently within 40 minutes or less and with the same boring sweep patterns stolen from Necrophagist
played over and over again (albeit really ***ing fast) obtained lots of currency within the underground metal scene and
became the "in" trend about 4-5 years ago.
That's one sentence! Haha.
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wow, all good first reviews kinda look the same, just noticed that. pos'd
Digging: Death - Individual Thought Patterns
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this looks ok
Digging: Sidi Touré - Koima Digging: Sidi Touré - Koima
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i liked this review, probably will check this album out
Digging: My Dead Air - My Dead Air Digging: My Dead Air - My Dead Air
| | | Album Rating: 3
Music sounds good, but damn those vox are annoying.
Digging: Encoffination - O Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres Digging: Encoffination - O Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres | | | Album Rating: 3
Music sounds good, but damn those vox are annoying.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Yeah I said that twice and just commented a third time.
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i didnt catch that, could u repeat please?
| | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Thanks for letting me know my review was wordy, Yazz Flute, because without your keen insight, for which I am eternally grateful, I might have not noticed that, indeed, my sentences contain quite a few (and perhaps too many) phrases, clauses, contortions, six-finger tapped passages, purple prose--the disease of typical rock journalism, unobjective analysis, oxymorons (such as the preceding one), and words containing several letters.
If I had to write it again, I would keep the first sentence as is, but rework some of the other parts to read more smoothly.
In another note, we'll see if I still have this as a 4.0 after I listen to the album another five times.
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Agree with Yazz; you need to work on those run-on's. However, I did like the content of the review for the most part. Especially the bit about not ruining the surprises - it really made me want to go explore this album for myself
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