Review Summary: Is it the upper spectrum of mediocre or the lower spectrum of excellence?
I had a review written out for
Metamorphosis by S’efforcer but decided to give the album a couple more listens before I published my thoughts. The record had shown up as a new release recommended to me and I was wary to check it based on past experiences with Apple Music’s algorithm. All the data I was able to gather is that they are a progressive metalcore band from the East Coast and the album art was pretty so I figured, “Why not?” and dove in.
At first, I was pretty “ho-hum” about it, but by the end of my second listen it struck me that I had actually walked into it expecting it to be bad and had not given this band the time of day or proper attention. By the time I was through my third listen, I felt deeply conflicted as to the quality of this record.
Metamorphosis is an album of contrasts; contrasts between crushing metalcore and haunting ambience, and contrasts between worn out clichés and great ideas. For every moment of airtight execution or genius, there seems to be a moment of, “Huh?” The album jumps between too little, too much and just right so often that it’s dizzying.
S’efforcer wear their influences on their sleeves (Silent Planet, Invent Animate or possibly even Norma Jean will likely come to mind if you listen to this) and the record is excellent on a purely instrumental level. There is no question that these musicians are more than capable just based on the demanding nature of the songwriting. The songs shape-shift their tempos, time signatures and sounds so regularly that excellence would practically be a natural requirement. The riffs sizzle, the drums pop and a few of the breakdowns are downright nasty. The vocalist may not be the
best I have ever listened to, but he certainly does his job at a high level. A full range of hardcore yells, mids and lows is on display, and to good effect. There are more than a few moments where the technicality perfectly synchronizes with the raw emotion, or where the onslaught is effortlessly complemented by the spacious atmosphere.
That being said,
Metamorphosis is held down by its own grandiosity, sometimes to the point of sounding pretentious. Bands like Silent Planet and Invent Animate are at the top of this micro-subgenre because they do not go out of their way to make a spectacle of their progressive elements. Their unusual breakdowns, ambience, and whirlwind changes are done in such a way that is a natural part of the songwriting. S’efforcer do manage to accomplish this feeling at times, but there are multiple points where it just gets out of hand.
It's not totally evident in the first few tracks, and the halfway point of the album is mostly breathing room, but the rug gets pulled out from underfoot in the second half. Passages that literally make no sense are littered throughout the songwriting, as if to prove a point that S’efforcer “know how to prog-core” or something. It may sound cool, but it’s not necessary and it almost derails the entire experience. Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem with what S’efforcer are trying to do if it’s done right, but here the songs stop becoming
songs and start becoming a hodge-podge of flashy but incongruous ideas. The attempts to inject chaotic elements into their songwriting may have flashes of brilliance, but brilliance on its own is a pointless nicety unless it is put to good use.
Nevertheless, this album deserves a spin. At a brisk thirty minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome and, while you probably won’t revisit it, it’s worth a listen at least on the premise that this band shows promise. With a bit of focus they certainly have the potential to lift themselves out of the sea of metalcore bands out there to a higher level.
