Review Summary: A recommendation to every metal head out there, you simply can’t miss this one. A unique gem in this overdone/ generic genre.
I remember Born of Osiris, when they first caught my attention with abstract art and i liked it that very moment, since that day Born of Osiris has really come a long way, growing as a band with a mature sound.
I was very curious about this record, and by all means this is the discovery of Born of Osiris. It’s really amazing to hear the difference in a band in just one record.
Now coming straight to the album, The biggest difference that comes to mind, even before giving this album a listen is the length. It is 15 tracks long album which usually a scary sign for me, however for this album it really becomes a strong point. Every song has a distinct sound and stands for itself .
When it comes to the overall sound and feel of the album the answer would be “Fresh”. Born of Osiris has really worked hard on song structures making this album more progressive, melodic and versatile at the same time.
Cameron Losch has been the back bone of this band and once again he delivers the expected “mind blowing” performance on the drums, throughout the album he unleashes impeccable brutality.
Joe Buras with his keys is one guy that stands out on this record, he was good earlier and now he is amazing. Delivering versatile and yet memorable solos that literally drill down your brain.
One can clearly hear the hard work that Ronnie Canizaro has put into his vocals, he has a better vocal range now and there is clarity in his growls.
And Joe Buras’s backing vocal create magic when mixed with Ronnie Canizaro’s, giving us a total insane vocal dosage.
The biggest difference comes from Lee McKinney and Jason R. Richardson, in my opinion they alone have affected the sound of Born of Osiris more than any one else. There is more shredding and catchy solos with a lot of depth, unlike before. And it’s a big step for them in the right direction.
And yes! there are Breakdowns here and there, so feel free to bring down the house. The real good thing about these breakdowns is that they are never overdone and every one of them has a unique sound.
The drawbacks in this album, or you can say the things that stops it from being flawless are :-
1) The unnecessary addition of ambient/melodious tracks, which wasn’t required, as they clearly don’t fit in with the flow of the album.
2) The album loses some of its Grip towards the end( just my opinion).
Tracks:-
"Follow the Signs" - 10/10
"Sigularity" - 8/10
"Ascension" - 10/10
"Devastate" - 9/10
"Recreate" - 9/10
"Two Worlds of Design" - 10/10
"A Solution" - 7/10
"Shaping the Masterpiece" - 8/10
"Dissimulation" - 9/10
"Automatic Motion" - 9/10
"The Omniscient" - 9/10
"Last Straw" - 7/10
"Regenerate" - 8/10
"XIV" - 6/10
“Behold’ - 8/10
A recommendation to every metal head out there, you simply can’t miss this one.