Try Future is a highly unique and somewhat paradoxical album. While vocalist Germen's nasally, tweaked out Cedric Bixler-lite delivery can be at times grating (and frequently polarizing, I predict), his vocals never fringe too close to plagiarism. This reigns true for much of the album, as Try Future succeeds because of its near seamless blend of influences without actually sounding a lot like any of them. This is post-At the Drive-In played by the Melvins using Krallice's sense of tonality with Gospel's drummer behind the kit. And what a drummer he is. Guile is like Damon Che on steroids; the man is relentless and quite possibly an octopus. The rest of the band are no slouches, either. Try Future is a remarkable success, but what holds it back from being truly special is that its sometimes relentless nature can be a little overbearing, though to it's credit it clocks in at a modest 41 minutes. If you're curious, be sure to check out the pummelling title track and the Krallice-like, tremolo-heavy "Embers", both of which can be found on their official MySpace.
Aggressive without coming off unbearably opprobrious, all the while remaining enticingly harmonious, "Hangman's Hymn" is both the bands fastest and most insistent all the while being perhaps their most fun to listen to. It manages to blend complex ideas and themes in such a way that they can be taken, and understood, on endless levels. Sigh's interpretive use of the Requiem lends itself to analysis, yet all the same, can be glossed over in hopes of just enjoying the music. The music holds its own, with its effective blend of symphonics, black and thrash metal. Toss in the band's affinity for progression and the avant-garde and you're in for, if all else fails, an intriguing listen.
But all else doesn't fail. This is an album to beat in 2007 in any genre.
Monstrosity's "Spiritual Apocalypse" does a lot of things really well. It touches on brutality without entering brutal death metal territory. It makes excellent use of melody, yet it's by no means 'melodeath'. I guess what I'm trying to say is it does everything a good death metal album should.
Spiritual Apocalypse will kick your ass. The album's pace is relentless, yet never grows stale. The vocals are absolutely bloodthirsty, and Kelly Shaefer of Atheist even makes a brief appearance. The musicianship is ridiculously tight, and when you pair that with the previous points, this really is the death metal album to beat in 07. Take into consideration that this year sees releases from genre giants Behemoth, as well as hybrid heroes Akercocke and well, that's saying something. Some will say they were better with Corpsegrinder on vocals, and to them I simply say "have fun listening to gore metal". Some say Rise to Power was more effective, and to them I say "then listen to 'Rise to Power'". I, personally, am indifferent when it comes to Corpsegrinder, and I've listened to this dozens more than I ever did "Rise to Power".
The End is a band that, throughout their relatively short career, has been plagued by comparisons. Always compared to fellow tech-giants Dillinger Escape Plan, it seems like these guys never had a shot.
With Elementary, The End proves that it's now or never. Having fully evolved beyond their grindcore roots, Elementary is what you get when "math metal" grows up. While they still retain many elements of chaos, dissonance and time-shifting, the focus on this album is tension and how it builds.
By exploring post- structures and finally toying with clean vocals, The End have put out an extremely strong album that's both lyrically and musically interesting. While it will certainly piss a lot of their fans off, it ultimately proves the sceptics wrong.
You have no reason not to give this album a shot.
Sigh has managed to do the unthinkable. Once known strictly as a Black Metal act, Sigh has continually evolved, testing the boundaries and limits of music.
With Gallows Gallery, Sigh finally abandons harsh vocals all-together. The album, their 6th full length, has finally pushed them to the top of the avant-garde pack. With a sound that could be simplistically described is extremely Japanese, Gallows Gallery proves that there is definitely a difference between genre-obfuscation and bastardization. The album retains much of their heavy 80s influence, as there's still a prominent Mercyful Fate influence to be found, but amidst the groups trademark riffage rests vocal melodies that sound like an Asian take on Brian Wilson that somehow sound right at home atop ultra psychedelic rock.
Proving that they can seemingly never release a bad album, Sigh has yet again shocked fans with their unique creativity and compositional prowess.
Surely one of the best releases to come out in 2005.
Wolves in the Throne Room are a US Black Metal band that lives in a house somewhere in the forests of Olympia, Washington. If you're still reading, please carry on; this album is definitely a lot better than you're probably thinking. The album builds off traditional Black Metal sounds and applies them to the lush structures of Post-Rock, all the while retaining a fairly ferocious folk/black sound. Never too raw for it's own good, never too ambitious for it's own good, Diadem of 12 Stars is an album that takes just the right amount of risks to make it work within a fairly standardized genre.
Even if it is a little too close to their influences for comfort, Gwynbleidd manages to craft an excellent 40 minute EP that flows between Folk, Death and even Black Metal with apparent ease.
If you've ever wondered what would happen if a technical death metal band could write as well as they played, Gorod is your answer. With their sophomore release Leading Vision, Gorod proves that their blend of complex arrangements and technical execution is second to none. By adding a progressive slant to their already original sound, Gorod outdoes themselves in nearly ever respect: the lyrics are intelligible, the vocals don't come in at seemingly random intervals, and the level of technicality has been upped to a new height, all without turning the album into a total mess. One of the best technical death metal albums to ever be released.
