|
- ALBUM REVIEWS -
- S -
- SEANCE [2009] Awakening Of The Gods -
Label: Pulverized Records
Review by Mike Baricelli
RATING: 8.5 \m/
It’s the return of Séance, a Swedish Death/Thrash band that formed at the beginning of the Nineties. Before hearing their latest release ‘’Awakening of the Gods’’ I had never heard of their past releases and it’s been 16 years since their previous album. I did a bit of research on the band and I found out that those past 2 albums were gems in the early 90’s death scene. In 92, Forever Laid to Rest, and in 93, Saltrubbed Eyes. They had some new material in the late 90’s and were going to sign to a new label but the drummer left shortly after, and eventually in 98 they split up.
Ten years later Séance has reformed and are back with a healthy slab of Thrashy Death Metal, ¾ of their old lineup and a new home at Pulverized Records. This is some good shit here, it’s one of the better Death/Thrash albums out there for sure. The songs are full of groovy, chunky riffs that have a Slayer influence and maybe a hint of The Haunted but by no means are they cloning either band. In fact they have an aggressive American tinged approach to their sound which suits the album well. And back to those riffs, I’m really impressed with what they came up with. A good dose of melody and aggressiveness to break your neck to. The vocals remind me of Suffocation mixed with Pestilence but they’re not low guttural burps and you can understand to a certain degree what he’s saying. The production is tight, full of power and every member’s instrument can be heard perfectly. The drumming is tasteful and never goes on a blastbeat binge, only when it’s necessary. It goes from mid paced beats to fast then slow at times but then quickly picks up the pace again without losing your attention.
Perhaps my favourite track is called Flight of the Wicked, it’s guitar and bass meld together well, almost battling each other for 50 seconds. It’s quite interesting and weird I guess but definitely something I haven’t heard before. Most of the songs are very good with no added filler horseshit, the album keeps your attention to the end and my only complaint would be I wish it were a bit longer. It clocks in at just over 36 min. I hope this band keeps going strong and stays awhile, they’ve impressed me and I’m sure countless others. The Swedish scene rarely disappoints… Hail Séance \m/
- STRINGS OF ARES [2009] Strings of Ares (demo) -
Label: Independent
Review by Mark Howitt
RATING: 9 \m/
A definitive rising force in the Ontario and Canadian metal scene is a band from the Toronto area called Strings of Ares. I had the fortunate opportunity to share the stage and do a few shows with this band and I will admit, I was not sure what to expect from the band. I was thinking they would pull off another typical deathcore/breakdown induced set like a lot of local bands are doing these days, but when they started playing I was completely and utterly decapitated where I stood. Now although Strings of Ares may appeal to fans of the deathcore genre, this band is not typical by any sense of the word. Their usage of varied genres and tempo changes works perfectly, and along with a decimating live show this band is something to watch out for in 2010 and beyond.
Their self titled demo album is nothing short of genius, and although the production quality could be a lot better, the demo itself is nothing short of impressive. Containing 4 tracks, the demo never leaves you hanging and at the end you are left waiting for more, wishing that they had another album under their belts. Since the release of the demo however, they have been quite busy preparing new materials for a follow up full length album.
Notable tracks on the demo include the crushing opener “Devoured by the Flames of Fury”, and “Ravenous”, however each song is a shining gem and demands further listening. I simply cannot wait until these guys put out another album, and I would love to see them perform live again.
In closing, if you are a fan of diverse bands that are not shy to use technical compositions and crushing heaviness, then Strings of Ares is a band that you must investigate. Blending elements from bands like Fear Factory, Necrophagist, Sepultura and Morbid Angel, Strings of Ares really do incorporate the best of all worlds in their final product. May the arrow strike true, and the legion of Strings of Ares be known.
|
