| | Full Review | Ratings (140) |
Give your Rating |
| 4.5 superb | Wayfaerer | January 9th 25 |
If this came out 20 years ago, I would've rated it an instant 5. Stanne is wonderful as usual, and the addition of more acoustic guitars is welcome. And while it's certainly better than the debut, with a far stronger focus on those colourful harmonised riffs that defined old In Flames, there's a certain rote aspect that holds it back. The formulaic song structures and mid-tempo focus mean it is a very pleasant but shallow experience (3.0, good rating).
EDIT: I revisited this album and realised I was too harsh on it. I'd listened to it many times over many days to form my initial opinion, but sometimes it takes a fresh listen, on a different day, with a different state of mind, to fully digest an album. I marked it down for following the well-worn tropes of the Gothenburg sound, but it was this sound that I fell in love with in the early 2000s, when melodic death metal seemed ubiquitous and celebrated in the metal world. DT is still a top 3 band of all time for me, and I wish they'd return to a more riff-focused approach, which this album has in spades.
I'd been listening to loads of very technical and progressive metal in the lead up to this release; 2024 was a fantastic year for that, and I think it made this album seem very quaint by comparison. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but it nails what it sets out to do.
I'll leave my first comments up. Better to show a change of mind and own it.
8 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Johnny Maccaroni | January 10th 25 |
I've always viewed melodeath as a genre similar to skate-punk: fun, melodic, energetic, and
not really that hard to play.
I hate to disagree with Wayfaerer, but the thing with melodeath is that it can feel stagnant
and somewhat plain to a certain extent. However, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Quite
the contrary, when a band releases such a fun record, it has to be acknowledged.
Mind you that T.H.E. has released 2 consecutive bangers! No one has been able to pull this
melodies so far, not even new In Flames...
Just relax and have fun with what this has to offer, 20 yrs ago, today, or 20 yrs into the
future!
PS: Thank God for only a couple of Mikael's cleans, mostly on the weakest song (Between
Directions).
5 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | BladeRunner | January 10th 25 |
An effective slice of nostalgia that makes you fondly recall the glory days of the genre,
while also crystalizing the fact that it is long past its heyday. I have come back to it a
few times today, and it keeps putting a smile on my face. Slapping a 4 on it for now!
4 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | InsomniumGatherum | January 10th 25 |
Always give 3 playthroughs before I give ratings. As someone who grew up listening to melodeath and was inspired by the Gothenberg bands, I tend to be picky unintentionally. This album is more creative than their debut piece as they draw from a heavier electronic infusion. This doesn't mean that the album is more progressive, it just uses these elements to inspire new melodies. There are times on the album where you don't think you're listening to old In Flames or Dark Tranquillity at all. In summary, this is an extremely solid record that you can blaze through track by track without any skips.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.3 great | Trey STAFF | April 2nd 25 |
This is a more cohesive blend of the Dark Tranquillity and In Flames influences that were on the previous album. Other than that, there's really no difference between the two albums except for the previous album was just a little better.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Antonius | March 30th 25 |
Days of the Lost was a solid piece of melodic death metal mastery and certainly, March of the Unheard is an excellent continuation of it. Forged from Gothenburg's sounds of the 90s and crafted by the the masters of the genre (Jesper Strömblad pointing at you), this record is above all consistent. Although the album's strength lies in the first half where a bunch of wicked headbangers appear, the band's identity remains intact in the second half. March of the Unheard finds Mikael sounding as fierce and venomous as ever. His aggressive barking and devilish growling are everywhere, and support to a great extent the the core characteristics of The Halo Effect: the atmospheric tones and the interlocking guitar patterns. Personally, I would like to hear a greater balance between growls and clean vocals given Mikael's ability to sing wonderfully in both forms. However, the punchy riffs and the sticky choruses help to forget about this and focus on the melodic dark character of it. Already looking forward to the next one! Recommendations: "Cruel Perception", "Conspire to Deceive", "Our Channel to the Darkness", "March of the Unheard", "What We Becomer
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | cageofman | January 15th 25 |
This is a really strong release, much prefer it than the first album. Some of the motifs -
main melody in 'this curse of silence', 'march of the undead' and 'coda' - its so the melody
used in Bon Jovi's Dry County if anyone is wondering. haha
Bump |
| 3.5 great | mystagogus | January 12th 25 |
It should've been released in late 90s, now it scratches the familiar itch but does not excite as it could.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Bulgaro | December 31st 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | boff | September 24th 25 |
| 3.5 great | tcarafi | September 19th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ryan P STAFF | September 17th 25 |
| 3.5 great | Brabiz | July 11th 25 |
| 4.5 superb | tysly | July 3rd 25 |
| 3.0 good | Coast | March 31st 25 |
| 4.5 superb | deaad | March 28th 25 |
| 3.5 great | Altmer | March 3rd 25 |
| 3.0 good | zuzek | February 10th 25 |
| 3.0 good | T5Cx | January 28th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | mctang | January 25th 25 |
| 3.0 good | tellah | January 25th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nishe | January 25th 25 |
| 3.0 good | 8genre | January 23rd 25 |
| 3.0 good | jmh886 | January 22nd 25 |
| 3.0 good | Faint7 | January 21st 25 |
| 3.5 great | Jeejee | January 21st 25 |
| 3.0 good | Elynna | January 21st 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kelek | January 21st 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dubboop | January 19th 25 |
| 3.5 great | Gbhill | January 17th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Poet | January 17th 25 |
| 2.5 average | Project | January 16th 25 |
| 2.5 average | cendor | January 16th 25 |
| 4.5 superb | nosuke | January 16th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | impoppy | January 15th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | coopj | January 14th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Essence | January 14th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | Adam | January 14th 25 |
| 2.0 poor | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | January 13th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | haley | January 13th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | alamo | January 12th 25 |
| 3.5 great | JoneHK | January 12th 25 |
| 3.0 good | Ectier | January 12th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | JWT155 | January 12th 25 |
| 3.5 great | SYL | January 11th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | ariich | January 11th 25 |
| 3.0 good | pengui | January 10th 25 |
| 3.5 great | Zac124 | January 10th 25 |
| 3.5 great | Kyle Ward EMERITUS | January 10th 25 |
| 3.5 great | mRA | January 10th 25 |
| 3.5 great | iGuter | January 10th 25 |
| 3.0 good | Dmax28 | January 10th 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | madtwoo | January 10th 25 |
| 2.5 average | Tundra | January 10th 25 |
| 5.0 classic | KManoc1 | January 10th 25 |
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