Sylosis
A Sign of Things to Come


2.5
average

Review

by MalConstant USER (2 Reviews)
September 8th, 2023 | 97 replies


Release Date: 09/08/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Sylosis commercialize their sound on 'A Sign Of Things To Come' with varying degrees of success

Sylosis, once celebrated for their raw fusion of Bay Area thrash metal and technical death metal, appears to be venturing into a more mainstream realm with "A Sign of Things to Come." This album, while technically polished, seems to be a departure from the band's signature sound, hinting at a more commercialized direction.

A deep dive into the album's creation reveals significant influences from external voices. In a candid interview, Josh Middleton, the band's lead guitarist and vocalist, shed light on the role of the band's manager, Adam Foster. As an executive producer, Foster emphasized thinking from a fan's perspective, pushing for more anthemic and memorable hooks. This drive for a broader appeal, while potentially widening their fan base, might come at the cost of the band's core identity.

The collaboration with producer Scott Adkins further underscores this shift. Adkins, known for his work with more mainstream metal acts, nudged the band towards elements that would resonate with a larger audience. This influence is palpable in tracks like "Deadwood" and "Eye For an Eye." While they are well-crafted, they lack the raw intensity and audacity that Sylosis was once renowned for.

Middleton's reflections on the album's direction are telling. He speaks of wanting Sylosis to be a metal band in the vein of Pantera and Sepultura but with injections of extreme elements. However, the balance seems to have tilted, with the album leaning more towards universal contemporary metal. The track "Eye for an Eye," for instance, feels more restrained compared to the band's earlier compositions.

In the broader context, the UK metal scene has seen a resurgence, with bands like Architects, Malevolence, and Bleed From Within gaining traction. Sylosis is part of this wave, and while their evolution is evident, one can't help but wonder if they've sacrificed some of their originality in the process.

"A Sign of Things to Come" showcases Sylosis' adaptability and musical prowess. However, the album stands at a crossroads, reflecting both the band's roots and their aspirations for a broader appeal. While it's a commendable effort, long-time fans might yearn for the raw authenticity that once defined Sylosis.


user ratings (100)
3.2
good


Comments:Add a Comment 
MalConstant
September 8th 2023


290 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Here is the interview that I'm referencing in my review: https://knotfest.com/culture/sylosis-snarl-into-life-on-a-sign-of-things-to-come/



I'm a little disappointed in this outing. Sylosis have lost a little bit on what made them unique IMO and have shifted closer to sounding like a modern 'core band like Bleed From Within. This isn't a 'bad record' by any means, but it's not particularly memorable.

pizzamachine
September 8th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Can’t get past the harsh vox. Good review

Pikazilla
September 8th 2023


31198 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

josh has completely lost the plot

Meborphus
September 8th 2023


229 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Haven't given it a spin yet but this is exactly what I was worried about.

Good review - hopefully I'll get a bit more out of it, but I won't get my hopes up.

Pikazilla
September 8th 2023


31198 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

I love how they split with Jamie because they didn't want to play metalcore and yet here we are lmao

MalConstant
September 8th 2023


290 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Time is a flat circle lol. I mean, Conclusion of An Age absolutely walks all over this.

pizzamachine
September 8th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

This would’ve been mid even if released 10 years ago

MalConstant
September 8th 2023


290 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

You're not wrong. Bleed From Within's Uprising is 10 years old now and is this better than that?

mkmusic1995
Contributing Reviewer
September 8th 2023


2025 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Honestly I enjoyed this quite a bit, maybe I'm just partial to Josh's crazy skills. It's definitely not as amazing as the last record but still had a very good time with this.

Digging: EX GENERATION - The Napoli Exchange

MalConstant
September 8th 2023


290 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Josh is insanely talented and I think he sounds great here and the mix on this is killer, but I honestly think he can do better with the riffs. Apex of Disdain was one of my favorite tracks in 2020 and there's really nothing on here that comes close to it.

Panzerchrist
September 8th 2023


744 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

they should fire Adam Foster

Alien Six
September 8th 2023


90 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

I wrote a longer version of this with a sound off review, but I thought I'd drop my 2 cents here. Good review btw.



I need to listen to this new album a few more times to really let it sink in, but right now I'd rate it a 3.0. Their weakest work imo, but still good. Any long-time fan should get some enjoyment out of this.



Traditional Sylosis is still in here, but they're really trying to balance it with a slightly more stripped down songwriting approach. 'Pariahs' and 'Judas' definitely sound the most like they could have fit in any of their previous albums. But this album has by far the most emphasis on chorus-y/anthemic/focused vocal moments. than before. They're not strangers to it. Go back to any album and you'll find stuff like this on a couple of songs. But now it's flipped to where these moments are in all but two or three songs.

Digging: Sylosis - The Path

MalConstant
September 8th 2023


290 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Thanks for the pos all.



@Alien - Yeah, I think this is still decent record overall, but I don't think I'll return to it much. Pariahs is probably the best track on the record for me and will definitely get some rotation, but the rest of the album? Probably not. The strong emphasis on the vocal hooks will definitely help the band reach new heights and they deserve it honestly. If this is what it takes to get them to the states, then it's a worthy sacrifice IMO - ha.

Hawks
September 8th 2023


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 1.0

Shitty album from Sylosis. What a shocker. Band has always been hot garbage.

Digging: Black Curse - Burning in Celestial Poison

Alien Six
September 8th 2023


90 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

@MalConstant



Yeah I wish they could come to the states more. I saw them in New York back when they did a small club tour after they released Edge of the Earth, and again a couple years later, also in NYC, when they toured with Lamb of God, In Flames, and Hatebreed. I believe that was some time after Monolith's release. They were the tour opening act and only had a 25min set.



I really don't know if this new songwriting approach is what will somehow make them break through to a big enough audience to make a US tour viable. I've always thought of Sylosis as a niche band, despite plenty of other similarly tech-y metal bands existing with bigger fanbases.



Anyway, I don't see this album being in my rotation as much as all their others, but at least half of it I feel is very good: the three singles and Pariahs and Judas.

Alien Six
September 8th 2023


90 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

@MalConstant



Yeah I wish they could come to the states more. I saw them in New York back when they did a small club tour after they released Edge of the Earth, and again a couple years later, also in NYC, when they toured with Lamb of God, In Flames, and Hatebreed. I believe that was some time after Monolith's release. They were the tour opening act and only had a 25min set.



I really don't know if this new songwriting approach is what will somehow make them break through to a big enough audience to make a US tour viable. I've always thought of Sylosis as a niche band, despite plenty of other similarly tech-y metal bands existing with bigger fanbases.



Anyway, I don't see this album being in my rotation as much as all their others, but at least half of it I feel is very good: the three singles and Pariahs and Judas.

bellovddd
September 8th 2023


6779 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

still better then architects

pizzamachine
September 9th 2023


27668 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

A sign of things too dumb*

MegaResurrectedJake4
September 9th 2023


294 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

basically hard pop. could use less of it sometimes, but it's good. Almost really sick, but there's like half of every chorus that slaps and half that sounds kinda like a sell. might grow on me, might annoy me. But honestly think the hooks I really like will keep me around.

Ectier
September 9th 2023


2878 Comments


Maybe its because im half asleep, but it sounds like Josh was kind of pushed into a commericial sound and the producer/whoever wanted to use Josh being in architects to push Sylosis in a similar direction for the big bucks and sacrificing the actual normal sound

Digging: Mother (BE) - II



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