It's time for the next album review post. I didn't expect much of the August batch of releases, and it didn't deliver much, but I kind of feel like I'm still disappointed. But I was also in the mood to write negative reviews, so bad ones are happily included as well. On the other hand, September still promises to be awesome, and at least this way I could catch up on a few interesting records I missed.
Bullet for My Valentine: Venom
Back in the old days of high school, when I only dabbled in metal via symphonic metal and the lingering appreciation for early Linkin Park albums, I loved The Poison. I thought it was really cool. To be fair, I still think it's pretty cool. But by now, I know better than to think them metal; and by now, the band lost all its promise to me. This record is the boring kind of metalcore. Largely unoriginal, with only a few inspired hints, like the second part of the slower High or High Water or the harder Pariah.
Tyrant of Death: Ion Legacy
Now that I've talked shit about commercial-sounding metal (and more's to come!), here's to the unholy union of electronica and industrial metal - a genre I've mostly seen broadly described as cyber metal. It's a little avant-garde, it's groovy and melodic, and it's also mostly noise to some. In certain moods, I love stuff like this. Sure, it's not up there with some other metal bands in terms of artistry or musical talent or even sheer goodness, but in its subgenre, Tyrant of Death are a very reliable source of good disturbing noises, and this album is no exception.
Listen to: One Above All, R Naught, Genetic Paragon
Ghost: Meliora
Have a little more avantgarde, only of the less noise-y and more enormously-catchy version. Dancing on the line of some heavy rock and metal, unless they see them on stage, this stuff won't even piss off your parents and unsuspecting friends. That's not to say it isn't good - while I agree with the consensus that this record doesn't live up to their debut either, it's still an interesting and hugely enjoyable venture.
Wolfheart: Shadow World
(why is it so brownish? I don't get it)
I admit, I only know of this band because they were supposed to be the opening act during Insomnium's now-cancelled Eastern European tour. They do have an Insomnium-esque streak, only with a slightly stronger black metal influence, and heavier guitar riffs. If you're into this vein of Finnish metal (which I most certainly am) you should definitely check them out.
Tomb of Finland: Below the Green
Surprising no one, yet one more Finnish band - this time of the death-doom variety. The mournful quality is certainly there, but the tracks run a comfortable 4-5 minutes, and there are rather more guitars to be found than in simple doom. Overall it's definitely the least catchy out of this August batch - tt wouldn't necessarily mean it's also the most 'metal', but this time I think it does. See, I'm saving my metal cred! It's also the band's, if not the musicians', first record, and an impressive one at that.
Disturbed: Immortalized
Do you recall what I said about commercial metal? Here is it, exhibit A, from a band which made Billboard's No. 1 multiple times, and have done so with this record. That's wouldn't necessarily be bad. I do hate the gatekeeper mentality of the metal community on a whole, but that's not to say that I don't raise my eyebrows at a No. 1 from a supposedly metal band; or at least, I know they're not for me. Too many reused schemes of the same kind, it becomes boring very fast. I can't tell I'm not listening to some old songs, which I guess is the whole point, but I always loved bands with variety. A few of the best songs are the ones in which they sound the least like themselves, most notably the Simon & Garfunkel cover, which is brilliant.
Soilwork: The Ride Majestic
Soilwork's about how mainstream-sounding melodeath gets. That is, if we discount In Flames' sorry attempt, but we do, because I like to pretend new In Flames doesn't exist. There's a point to be made there, because as I see it, they're at least good at it. Their songs, if not revolutionary, are heavy, sweeping and catchy at the same time. This album comes as a disappointment after The Living Infinite, which is hands-down my favourite Soilwork album, but it's pretty decent.
Listen to: Death in General, The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic), Whirl of Pain
(somehow, they insist on putting out their most generic sounding songs as singles, and Nuclear Blast is rigorous when it comes to taking down songs from youtube. The whole album is on Spotify, as is Tyrant of Death's Ion Legacy.)
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