Search - Darkness Remains :: Lamia

Tightest American progressive metal act in some time

Michael A. Smith Jr. | In the trunk of your car... | 04/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First off, the title of the album is 'Lamia' not Darkness Remains, which, consequently, is the name of the band.



Now, on with the show...

I'm really digging this. Each listen presents something new to the aural palate. This could be categorized as death metal, but it's atypical. No overwhelming use of staccato riffs, no pinch harmonic dependence, no over-used and ineffective double blasts (don't get me wrong...I love the genre). Instead, what we have here is a mesh of styles from bands that have either helped define the genre or are serving to open new doors. Bands like Death (quick and sharp 16ths) and Disembowelment (speed-slow shifts with much better production!) are well represented.



The music is quite tight, with excellent use of melody (in some instances, they employ melodic lines that the Amott brothers would be proud of). With strong drumming and vocal performances and a bass sound that isn't drowned out by any of the other instruments, it really allows each instrument to weave in and out of the song structure at times, but not at the expense of said structure, y'dig? They work together extremely well.



There's so much going on and I find myself trancing out from time to time, most especially when the acoustic interludes enter to subdue the swell of distortion and lull me into this false calm before the madness rears its ugly head again.



This is DR's second full-length and from what I understand the boys in the band are still very young and I'm confident that they will mature as musicians and that their next full-length will put them on the metal map. There are some minor flaws to this particular release that I think most should be aware of...some song segments seem a bit muddled because of the rapidity of the playing (this isn't necessarily a bad thing...I'm quite used to the grindcore formula, i think it's more due to a production flaw than anything else). Case in point: the second song's (I don't have the jewel case in front of me) main segment is very much like this, although the riffs that eventually weave into the song are incredible. That, and the opening track is quite lengthy for an instrumental intro (2+ mins.)...but, I'm just nit-picking. Track 4 is the shortest and, in my opinion, the strongest track...it's absolutely brutal. And that's the most appealing aspect to this release! They spin on a dime...lengthy tracks that shift styles numerous times. From hyper-melodic to brutal-as-all-hell to somber to stop-start-devastation.



Overall, there's some killer riffs on this disc and they have the capability to create something truly epic and I believe that this is just a taste of their full potential. The production and mastering job done here, aside from that minor flaw I mentioned earlier, is outstanding and crystal clear...I was definitely excited to find that all instruments were accounted for.



To close, and I hate to do this but, if you enjoy Opeth or Maudlin of the Well or Disembowelment or anything that Chuck Schuldiner has touched or Arch Enemy then you'll eat this up.



Highly recommended...probably the most refreshing beginning-to-end disc I've heard since Kayo Dot's 'Choirs of the Mind's Eye'."

High hopes, but...

J. Holmes | yokohama, japan | 09/24/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"i'm not sure why i ever bought this cd in the first place, but i think it had something to do with the extravagant promotional sticker placed on the front cover. it read something like "for fans of Opeth, Emperor, and At The Gates." those are some pretty big names to toss around nonchalantly. so i took a chance on a band that i had never heard of and i bought the sucker. right away when i got home, i got a little worried because it did not sound remotely similiar to any of those bands. but i'm an open-minded music fan and i kept giving it listen after listen hoping that something on Lamia would get under my skin and help me enjoy this record. but sadly, that day has never arrived. the one thing that turns me off on this cd is the metalcore sound of it all. sure, there are deathy parts and some moody interludes, but overall, the base of Darkness Remains' sound is that of a young metalcore band who seem to have some norwegian or swedish metal in their collection. it's a shame too, because these guys seem to be good musicians and they have a spark to some of their riffs that is really cool, and the drummer has some nice tricks up his sleeve as well. but in the end, Lamia is just are not good enough to keep me interested...and believe me, i've tried."