Through the Eyes of the Dead
Malice


2.0
poor

Review

by gasmaskman USER (6 Reviews)
August 21st, 2007 | 20 replies


Release Date: 2007 | Tracklist

Review Summary: TTEOTD go from incredible to generic in a very unoriginal album.

Through the Eyes of the Dead is arguably one of the better death metal-influenced metalcore bands to hit the underground. I stumbled on their first full-length Bloodlust by mere accident - I had taken a trip to my local Best Buy and my brother wound up buying the CD on a random impulse more than anything. Needless to say, the CD was a shocker. By the time I was finished I was pummeled so hard I had a headache. But we're not talking about that.

For me Malice was one of my more anticipated releases this year, and needless to say, this band doesn't really show any change except for the vocals. Anthony Gunnells was definitely a highlight of the band, as his vocals spewed terror and fear. Yet, he parted ways with the band, and I couldn't possibly think that they could find a vocalist good enough to replace him – and they didn't. Nate Johnson is just like every average death metal vocalist; he does one style, and that is grunt. That's pretty much all that you're going to hear. Well, there is a few shrieks, but nothing as dynamic as Anthony, and when he shrieks he does it so horrible it's almost laughable.

Even though the vocals aren't up to par, the other members do their thing rather well. The drums are pretty good, but they aren't superb - the drummer does his thing, even though some blast beats are occasionally in the wrong spot. The guitars are still ferocious and the riffs sound very complex. The solos (though rare) fit in well with the song (To The Ruins). The bass, like the guitar, is still ferocious. Despite above average musicians, there's not much to distinguish tracks except for a breakdown or intro.

Even though everything feels generic, there are still high points to this album. The first track Failure in the Flesh features an amazing opening guitar backed by a blast beat, and then the vocals kick in and you almost feel it could still be monstrous, yet the rest of the album fails to live up to expectation. As Good As Dead opens up with some catchy guitar work and some more intense drumming, but cuts back to more generic-sounding death metal.. To The Ruins attempts to break up the monotony with a slick guitar solo and a dominating breakdown, yet the rest of the song still sounds so monotonous. Pull the Trigger is really the only track that sounds unique from the bunch. Nate actually grunts less than he shrieks as far as I could tell, or is it just the fact that his grunts got annoying after awhile? (though the shrieks aren't exactly that good). The drumming is tighter and better than the rest of the tracks, and the opening riff sets the mood for a good song. Yet none of the songs are really stand-out exceptional.

Pros
The instruments still have the TTEOTD feel.
Tight drumming and great riffs

Cons
Extremely monotonous, no real stand-out tracks
Sounds recycled
Nothing original

Recommended Tracks
Pull The Trigger
Dead End Roads
Failure in the Flesh



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user ratings (331)
3.2
good
other reviews of this album
Tyler EMERITUS (2.5)
41 minutes of meh-lodic death metal....



Comments:Add a Comment 
gigi666
August 21st 2007


257 Comments


it's such a shame tho the guitarwork and the drumming are good but the vocals just ruins everything... fucking crappy Cookie Monster singing

Ire
August 21st 2007


41944 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

This band really sucks, I hate them for having a similar name to my band too.

http://www.myspace.com/throughtheeyesofdarknessband

robin2220
August 21st 2007


569 Comments


Didn't they get their name from a Cannibal Corpse song?This Message Edited On 08.21.07

gasmaskman
August 21st 2007


1006 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

They say no, but I like their name.

Tyler
Emeritus
August 21st 2007


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

The drumming sucks on this album in my honest opinion

Crysis
Emeritus
August 21st 2007


17646 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

This album is complete garbage.

Chaosweaver
August 21st 2007


110 Comments


whatever happened to bloodlust...

chimera908
August 22nd 2007


713 Comments


Whatever happened to good metal...

gasmaskman
August 22nd 2007


1006 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

There's always been times when good metal was hard to come by...right now is that time.

chimera908
August 22nd 2007


713 Comments


Oh yeah, so true. However this current metal lull has given me time to fall in love with most forms of hardcore and some punk and such. I've also really been getting into more progressive and post-rock stuff. So it isn't all bad. Pretty good review by the way.

LifeInABox
August 22nd 2007


3709 Comments


There's always been times when good metal was hard to come by...right now is that time.
Can you back that up at all?

gasmaskman
August 22nd 2007


1006 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

Can you back that up at all?


Generic Metalcore/"deathcore"



Finally got the Knife Trade split + Scars of Ages. I have to say, this is atrocious compared to it.

chimera908
August 22nd 2007


713 Comments


Yeah there was a time when metal was full of creative minds now it's full of whiny kids who think their latest chugga-chugga band is the best thing ever. Also once good death metal bands losing their steam (Morbid Angel...). Not that there isn't good metal anymore, it's just harder to come by.This Message Edited On 08.22.07

Tyler
Emeritus
August 22nd 2007


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Or you suck ass at finding it.

blackmilk
August 23rd 2007


583 Comments


Morbid Angel lost steam 15+ years ago.

chimera908
August 23rd 2007


713 Comments


Cocaine I'm not saying there isn't any good metal anymore but you have to wade through a lot of crap to find it. And yes blackmilk for the most part I agree.

gasmaskman
August 23rd 2007


1006 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

I'm talking about what chim is, there's just got too much crap compared to the good stuff.

Tyler
Emeritus
August 23rd 2007


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

That's nothing new. The only difference is the old stuff kept being listened to, which is why people of this generation like it, and people forgot about the crap.

The idea that there's some decline in quality is ridiculous. It's more of an uprise in distribution

gasmaskman
August 23rd 2007


1006 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

The thing is more bands are coming out, and most of them are terrible, which means that there's more shit to wade through.

Iamthe Nightstars
May 11th 2008


2990 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

hmmm, I didn't think this cd was too bad at all. A 3 at the very least



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