Review Summary: Growing pains without the riffs.
Blood Stain Child have been on a very slow downward trajectory since their best singers left the band. In a clear attempt to evolve, BSC have released two albums in 2024, with different musical styles. Cyberia shares similarities to the band’s OG sound, yet is a beast of its own. The ultimate product is less melodic death metal, and more generic, anime inspired video game pop rock. The electronic pop and screams remain, bringing to mind their song Stargazer. Their guitar shredding aspects are mostly incredibly diminished, with some trance bits still intact. I speak for everyone when I say the riffs are missed. The slamming drums are also absent, and I definitely miss their spine-tingling screams.
A new singer is introduced here, singing along with their usual main singer. This new voice sounds like a polished mix between their previous singers that sang Last Stardust and their album Epsilon. Strangely, rather than utilizing this beautiful voice in full, they use their other - much less decent - singer in heaps. The result is a fairly awkward album that has the potential to be an exuberant, deliciously melodic release with a stunning new singer, and it falls short of glory. This could have easily been the reincarnation of BSC’s best works, yet instead we’re reminded that they’re quite washed up in terms of their old school trance-y melodic death metal. Out with the old and in with the new, yet their transition is quite surprising. Catchy choruses are certainly included in these poppy tracks, and traces of their old melodies remain. However, it’s clear that the sound found in this album could’ve used some more time and production.
