Review Summary: While nowhere near revolutionary or even original, Stygian's debut offers some fun, if very formulaic alt-metal.
Philadelphia rockers "Stygian" have released their first mass-market album, and while it's not starting any revolutions, it should offer a solid listen to those looking for a nice diversion.
Now, first things first. Yes, this is another that sounds like post-thrash Metallica. Yes, this is another band that probably has shrines of Alice in Chains' Layne Staley in their apartments. No, these aren't ENTIRELY bad things. While it is true that vocalist Frank Leary worships at the altar of Hetfield, he actually has some decent pipes to back it up. He's not the next Rob Halford or anything, but unlike people such as Matt Heafy, there is at least some evidence that he's gone through puberty.
The band's guitar section is at about the same level, doing competently with only a few stand-out moments. Some riffs are kind of generic, and the band could use a lot of work on their solos, but for the most part, the guitar section is adequate and even offers a few headbangers every now and then.
Now while the vocals and guitar are decent, it's the drums that really stand out. They're nothing too complex, and like the rest of the album, they're nothing you haven't heard before. This is nicely offset, though by drummer Steve Bacchia's own little personal touch giving them a nice kick. You can really tell this guy has some energy.
The bass is somewhere in the middle, above the vocals, yet below the above-average drumming. There are some nice grooves here and there, but mostly it remains simply passable.
The low-point of this whole album is definitely the lyrics. While they don't delve into the shallow platitudes and middle-school level libido of Nickelback or the one-dimensional angst of Godsmack, they're pretty generic and forgettable with the exception of isolated lines. One look at the tracklist should give you an idea of what to expect.
Another problem with Fury Rising is that the songs run together at some points. This is common for many young bands starting out, and is fixed by the band's next release in most cases, but the lack of variation will be a turn-off for many. It doesn't affect the quality as much as you'd think, but it's still an issue worth mentioning.
As an album, Fury Rising is strictly average, but the band's youthful energy and some moments of genuine attitude help it become a fun listen. It's not breaking any new ground, but its accessible yet aggressive sound should help it find a sizable audience of young rockers if it's given the proper exposure.
