Review Summary: A promising album. However, if this guys want's to go professional, he's got a long way to go. (Not being negative or anything)
The album starts off with a narration that slightly distorts as the song goes on. During the narration, there is a buildup of music in the background and after the narration stops, an instrumental plays that's starts off with a bang. The music in the album gives out a catchy tune that makes you listen to the songs over again. Knowing that the music itself is good, you know that you'd enjoy this album. Songs like "A Monster Reborn" and "Forgive-Me-Not (Forget-Me-Never)" use an electronic aspect to the music. As for the vocals, I can't say how amazing this guys voice is. The song that puts the vocals to the most potential is "Here Among the Dead." The vocals sound so professional and are very well done that every time I listen to the song, at that very moment what the singing starts, I get chills. There is a difference in the vocals in "Power Struggle" in which there is some screaming involved. Not the best screaming I've heard, but it's better than Matt Heafy's from the band Trivium. The bands final piece is a three part story known as "Remorseless Waters." The first song, "The Tempest," starts of with the sound of the shore as the song begins. The next song "The Omen" is an instrumental that builds up as the music goes on. And then, the final piece "The Forsaken Lighthouse" starts off with an acoustic guitar (similar to "Here Among The Dead") then finishes with a narration of how you've made it to the "other side" of your journey, and by journey, I'm meaning listening to the album. The whole album has a storytelling aspect to it, kinda like Kamelot's "Epica" and "The Black Halo" albums. I kinda enjoy the fact that this whole album is telling a story and I enjoy it. There's also two separate editions to the album, and instrumental, and a special edition. The special edition contains two bonus tracks, "Here Among the Dead (Acoustic Version)" and the song "Once" (which I've never heard yet).
However, I think that the album is overflowed with instrumentals. Not saying there's an instrumental every other song, but I personally think it's unnecessary for an album to have many instrumentals. Speaking of unnecessary, at the end of some of the songs, there are "fillers," and by filler, I mean an extra thirty to fifty seconds of the same part of the song being played over and over again, especially at the end, and I think that it's highly unnecessary, and I'm sure some professional critics would agree. An example is the song "Plastered." A good song, but has that has a filler that lasts a minute. I would rather not want to listen to an extra minute of the same part of the song over and over again. Why he did that, I don't know. For the overuse of filler the album loses major points.
Descent (4/5)
Although an instrumental, I am going to give it a score because it really is a great way to start the album off, and not to mention, it's a narrative, so it's excusable.
Power Struggle (3/5)
This is the song that shows the hardcore vocals. Like I said before, the hardcore vocals aren't that great. Otherwise, it has a steady beat and good music, making it a decent track. One of the "filler" songs I mentioned though.
A Monster Reborn (5/5)
One of the two best songs out of the album. This song depicts an evil spirit taking over the body of the vocalist, tormenting him and convincing him to give in. Great music with great vocals to go with it. A fantastic song.
Momento Mori (N/A)
An instrumental. Nothing to say other than, well, it's an instrumental.
Plastered (3.5/5)
This song is another "filler" song, with about a minute of the same thing being played over again. Otherwise, decent vocals and decent music, making it a decent song.
Beta Test (In A Bulletproof Vest) (2/5)
Although I wouldn't call this a filler song, the last half of the song is pretty much an instrumental, and a boring one at that. The only thing worth mentioning is the end of the song, where there is another narrative, this time a different voice. Other than that, an uninteresting track.
Here Among The Dead (5/5)
This song is probably the best song on the album, other than "A Monster Reborn". This song really shows the vocals at it's true potential, and it really is a song worth mentioning. Fantastic song altogether. If there was one issue, it's the guitar solo. Not saying that it's bad, but it could've been better.
Metanoia (N/A)
Another instrumental. Nothing else to say.
Forgive-Me-Not (Forget-Me-Never) (3.5/5)
Probably the heaviest song in the album, and the music is very well executed in this song. However, the vocals are kinda uninteresting though, even if the hardcore vocals are somewhat improved from "Power Struggle." It's probably just me.
Shame (4/5)
The song starts off with a narrative, then to an acoustic guitar, then to the heavier music. Kinda awkward to my opinion. I don't think that the narrative is really necessary. Otherwise, it's got good vocals, and decent music with a catchy beat. Overall, a good track.
Calm Before The Storm (N/A)
Another instrumental? I'll pass on this one.
Remorseless Waters - Chapter 1: The Tempest (3/5)
Part one of the three part concept called "Remorseless Waters." Nothing much to say about this song other than it's starts off with the sound of the ocean for about forty seconds, and there's about a two minute instrumental piece at the end. The song does have some good vocals and guitar parts to it. A decent track.
Remorseless Waters - Chapter 2: The Omen (N/A)
Part two, which is, guess what it is, an instrumental! Thank god it's the last one on the album. Nothing really much to say other than there are "news reports" of a ship sinking in the ocean.
Remorseless Waters - Chapter 3: The Forsaken Lighthouse (4/5)
Part three and the final chapter, and the final song off of the album. And it really is a pretty good way to end off the album. Like "Here Among The Dead," it shows some great vocals in the first minute and a half of the song. Great song. My one issue is the empty space that lasts for almost a minute. Why that so much is needed, I probably won't know. It definitely could've been cut shorter. Why is it needed in the first place? Well, it has a narrative at the very end in which it congrats you for reaching the end of the album. That's pretty much the reason why it's a great way to end the album, much like the beginning.
Overall, this was a pretty decent album. If this guy really wants to go professional, he needs to cut down on the filler and the instrumentals. However, this is a promising album, and for being made by one guy, that is pretty impressive and I give him props for that. I think he does have a future, as long as he keeps pursuing his goals.
Recommended Tracks:
A Monster Reborn
Here Among The Dead
Shame
