|
Scar Symmetry occupies an interesting niche in the melodic death metal camp by using a heavy dose of keyboards and clean vocals
that both could come from a power\prog band. The more unique aspect is that they do not lose the feel of this being a death
metal album first and foremost.
And, to further my delight, they indulge in solos. Not just small lead runs, but actual solos. Granted, they are not the
six minute masturbatory kind that one would find in power\prog, but they are solos nonetheless.
On top of that, they are not death metal vocalists that think that they sing cleanly, they can actually sing. Granted,
they are no Bruce Dickinson or Rob Halford, but they are talented in their own right.
I am under the conviction that this is where extreme metal should be going. It is a varied, non-holds-bar approach to
metal, embracing both sides of the metal scene. Scar Symmetry does not seem to be afraid to try something different, and thankfully,
they did. (I intially wanted to compare them to Into Eternity, due to their use of prog\power influences, switch-offs between
clean and harsh vocals, and reliance on the solo as an integral part of the song structure, but this is a different take on
all of these elements than Into Eternity. Now, that does not mean that fans of Into Eternity will not like this band, or
vice versa.)
My judgment should sound familiar. Take things to the extreme, and dare to be different. Be brutal, but do not forget
other elements of your craft, of your music. And do not just try to blend in random influences for the sake of being varied,
but do it in a way that creates a whole piece of art, coherent and enjoyable.
|
