Review Summary: Gemini Syndrome return with a solid sophomore effort.
Memento Mori is an album about life--or rather, about the fragility of life, and the empowerment that can come from being aware of one’s mortality. This concept is difficult to miss: it’s stamped everywhere, from the title of the album (Latin for reminder of death) to the psychedelic artwork showing the layers of transcendence. No song spells it out more plainly than single "Remember We Die," a track about (wait for it) recognizing that one day you will surely die, and using this as a reminder to cherish the life you have. As vocalist Aaron Nordstrom puts it:
Remember we die, but don’t let go, because it’s the only thing you know. There’s plenty of time to see the other side.
On their sophomore effort, Gemini Syndrome, put simply, has crafted a pleasingly solid album of catchy hard rock. There’s nothing mind-blowing here, but it’s a fun ride--and it ends up being a meaningful one, too. While the lyrics are never quite as poetic as they want to be, they’re still good, and they’re delivered with such conviction and passion that you can’t help but really feel the message behind them.
Opener "Anonymous" gets the album kicked off to the right start, containing a great bridge that ratchets up the intensity several orders of magnitude with Brian Steele Medina’s energetic and consistently excellent drumming, and screaming from Aaron. Third and fourth tracks "Zealot" and "Gravedigger" are also highlights, the former featuring a grungy riff that will make you bob your head, the latter with its screeching chant of GRAVE! DIGGER! and both boasting catchy, memorable melodies. "Sorry Not Sorry" is a fun track with finger-pointing verses that erupt into an upbeat chorus. Epic closer "Brought To Light" finishes the album perfectly, with fitting lyrics and a soaring vocals.
One of the best tracks (if not the best) is "Alive Inside." It features a punchy-yet-generic hard rock riff, but meaningful lyrics, a melody that’ll get stuck in your head for weeks, and a bridge with heavy screaming from Aaron, making it one of the few tracks to see a good amount of it. In fact, a complaint that could be made about this album is that there’s simply not enough harsh vox, because my god, the man can give a bone-chilling scream when he wants to. In "Alive Inside," when he shrieks
every single day is mine to make the choice to be alive in, how you like me now!, let me tell you, it hits like a bus.
Not quite everything is dandy, though. "Say Goodnight" proves to be the dullest song of the album, being a rather forgettable ballad that vaguely talks of demons and nightmares and such. Other tracks "Inception" and "Remember We Die" are decent enough, but there are simply better songs surrounding them. Alessandro “AP” Paveri lays down some solid basslines, but they’re almost inaudible in many of the tracks, and they never truly get to take the spotlight, which is a shame.
One thing’s for certain: Gemini Syndrome is a band with a message, and this album delivers it.
Memento Mori is an excellent sophomore effort. Even if you’re wary about the band’s mainstream metal sound, I’d recommend checking it out. I think you’ll find they stand out from their radio-friendly peers, in a good way.
