Review Summary: Nothing new, but something strange.
I had never listened to this band before today, but had always heard things about them. Seems like they're a very mixed bag when it comes to whether they're actually good or not. Half the people say they don't actually play the guitars in real time, because they are just that fast. So, naturally, I thought it was a good time to check them out, as what I heard intrigued me greatly. Oh boy, was I in for a strange experience.
So, this is a Deathcore release, and I'd like to say now that I don't have a grudge against that sub-genre, like some people do. But, while this is a Deathcore record, it's a very, very strange one. I'd like to describe it as the single most aggressive acid trip ever. I felt like I should be zooming through space listening to this stuff. Now I know why it's called 'Aliencore'.
Now for the actual music... and it's very mixed. The tone of the album seems a lot brighter and fun than most Deathcore releases, such as 'Holy War' by Thy Art is Murder. No serious topics are discussed here, and it doesn't seem like you'll have to concentrate or train your ears to enjoy it. Lyrically, this record is very linear. In a nutshell, it is basically just aliens destroying humans, as they are genetically inferior. It gets old very quickly. But, that's not even the worst part. The worst part about this is, it seems the Rings of Saturn crew have written lyrics like this on songs before, such as 'Natural Selection'. From this, we can see a lack of evolution in the bands writing, with no sign of originality.
The vocals on this record are similar to what you'll find on most Deathcore releases, which is boring to say the least. I would like to see some more vocal styles incorporated into this record, like some proper trve Black Metal screeches, not those ones you hear people use on a lot of Deathcore releases, because they're not great at all. Thiswould mix it up a bit. But it's mostly just stale growls and gutterals.
The guitars do pair up with the keyboards very well, and can be compared to the likes of 'Children of Bodom'. So when a nice riff is placed, like the one which kicks off 'Harvest', you'll see how well they pair up. This cannot be said for when the band decides to transition into some generic chugs or breakdowns though, which is very disappointing. While showing their devotion to the genre by incorporating these techniques, they are also showing how unoriginal they are. Now, they do have original aspects shown in little flourishes, such as the acoustic guitar passages. But this simply isn't enough to secure them a place as an innovative band.
Onto a fairly positive note, the guitar and drum players do show they can write and perform some very technical riffs. The fret board is covered so thoroughly by the guitarists that it sounds like a crushing storm of death can morph into a pleasant sympony of high, clean melodies. To say these guys have no talent is absolutely wrong. The drummer portrays this statement as well, as he does a really great job. Technicality is shown in his playing, but he does absolutely batter the snare drum in some riffs. More diversity in those riffs, such as the one found on 'Prognosis Confirmed', would be greatly welcomed.
As a whole, this album really isn't essential to anyone's catalogue of music. It does shine with some songs, namely 'Inadequate', but it really does fail to perform as a whole. A whole lack of originality lets it down colossally. Such a shame, as I could see this talent being used in so many other better ways.
