| | Full Review | Ratings (177) |
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| 4.1 excellent | Metalstyles | January 23rd 10 |
When I first heard The Latter Rain I was quite blown away. The epic nature of the album and the well-executed progressive mix of folk, melodeath and black metal was impressive to say the least. But the album sounded a bit disjointed and moments of brilliance were coupled with moments of awkwardness. With Mantra, In Vain drop the awkward parts, refine their sound, progress even further and create an album that is nothing short of superb. Besides "Wayakin" (which I myself do not mind, but its cheesy chorus and native rambling aren't too flattering either) and a terrible bonus song that is found on some version of Mantra, this album is an amazing metal record from start to finish. Well recommended to everyone looking for epic song structures, great riffs and superb vocal performance. It seems that In Vain's own statement is becoming true: 2010 might just be the year of In Vain.
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| 4.0 excellent | BigTuna | January 12th 10 |
On Mantra, In Vain do everything exactly right except for one thing. The black metal swirls and screams pierce, the death metal riffs and growls rip, and the soaring melodic vocal harmonies....well, soar. The band refines their progressive approach to death/black metal as well, with more overt acoustic sections and one very blues-like track that shouldn't fit but does (Mannefall). In fact, I would say they do all of these things perfectly, and this album could be a classic if not for this hindrance:"Wayakin." The song is basically 9 minutes of a Native American man talking about owls and wolves and lands being taken away with some riffs thrown in. This would be cool if these guys had a Native American ancestry, but they're not even American, so it is incredibly contrived. Eliminate "Wayakin" and In Vain have created another classic progressive metal masterpiece. rRecommended Tracks: Captivating Solitude; Ain't No Lovin'; Dark Prophets, Black Hearts; On the Banks of the Mississippi; Sombre Fall, Burdened Winter (basically all of them but Wayakin)
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| 4.0 excellent | max13x | May 3rd 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | MaSuPe | April 26th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | zuzek | April 20th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | martalf | February 9th 23 |
| 3.5 great | JoneHK | December 6th 21 |
| 3.5 great | heck | May 1st 20 |
| 3.0 good | Crayak | April 27th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | HybridF | August 21st 19 |
| 3.5 great | Metz | February 27th 19 |
| 3.0 good | mursu | March 29th 18 |
| 3.5 great | Daedus | February 8th 18 |
| 3.0 good | Elynna | January 31st 18 |
| 3.0 good | NateMa | January 18th 18 |
| 2.5 average | adios | October 8th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | mRA | May 20th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | mEyck97 | December 13th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Pavera | September 29th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | hachi | November 3rd 14 |
| 3.5 great | Trey STAFF | September 27th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Arashi | April 25th 14 |
| 3.5 great | jmh886 | March 7th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | a7c7e7 | January 14th 14 |
| 3.0 good | Nifkin | October 20th 13 |
| 3.5 great | marasm | September 14th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | vkristi | April 20th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Defcol | April 18th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | ViC122 | March 28th 13 |
| 3.0 good | smeaf | January 23rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Kadaver | October 30th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lethe | April 15th 12 |
| 3.5 great | OllieS | February 21st 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | chigurh | October 16th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Aether | August 15th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Niels | July 7th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Undead | June 25th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dobrozz | April 18th 11 |
| 3.5 great | 37er00 | March 21st 11 |
| 2.5 average | qwe3 | December 27th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | TLX | June 2nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | ennui | May 9th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Photon | May 1st 10 |
| 3.0 good | ziroth | February 21st 10 |
| 3.0 good | Wolfe | February 16th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Emim | February 15th 10 |
| 3.5 great | nooge9 | February 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Janv92 | February 3rd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zip | January 23rd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Poet | January 21st 10 |
| 3.0 good | pride | January 20th 10 |
| 2.5 average | kingsoby1 EMERITUS | January 20th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Toretto | January 18th 10 |
| 3.5 great | ameypv | January 18th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kyle Ward EMERITUS | January 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | alsid | January 14th 10 |
| 3.5 great | RedSky | January 14th 10 |
| 3.0 good | Zoo | January 12th 10 |
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