Awesome!
Shaun P. Spratling | Michigan, USA | 12/22/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Only Inhuman" was a good album, but this album trumps it. "My Escape" is easily my favorite song on the album. Of course, that'll make some people unhappy, because some metalheads are under the impression that it's not metal unless it has screaming riffs and non-stop speed picking, and My Escape is a ballad of sorts, but the vocal melodies in the song are perfection. The metal ballad is a lost art it seems, and I don't mean "metal ballad" like Poison, Warrant, and other gay 80's hair bands. I mean metal ballads like Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters." Regardless of everybody's taste or distaste for metal ballads, this album provides a good thrashing and is leaps and bounds better than Only Inhuman. One of my new favorite bands!!"
It cannot end like this, We still have a long way to go...
C. M. Gillum | Michigan | 04/17/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Now a days the Metal scene has a plethora of Rock bands trying to be Metal. They think just adding a little edge to their music allows them to enter into the Metal playground. You know the bands I am talking about, they all sound the same, normally with either hardcore style vocals or a mix of clean singing and badly done screams. Thankfully bands like Sonic Syndicate stand on their own feet and do their own thing rather then follow in the footsteps of others.
Love & Other Disasters features two styles and the band executes both in fine form. The first is the edgy Hardcore style that other bands try so hard to mimic, Sonic Syndicate however holds a melodic sense to these heavier songs. "Hellgate: Worcester" starts out with Thrashy riffs and pummeling double bass but later explodes into a catchy yet still fast and most importantly melodic chorus. That is where this band shines is how they utilize speed and melody through out the album.
The other side of Sonic Syndicate is a Melodic Rock feel with chugging mid paced riffs, tranquil lead guitar, bombastic drumming and of course Roland Johansson's amazing clean vocals. A track like "Fallout" has an almost 80's pop feel to it but the mix of mid paced and fast paced tempo backed by a mix of clean and growled vocals makes it a modernized hit. On my personal favorite track "Contradiction" we get a melodic feel that isn't far off from a Ballad, in my opinion Sonic Syndicate should have more tracks like this on their next release. Such melody yet just heavy enough to not make it boring, and still a solid hard hitting beat that is head bang worthy.
The mixing of these styles comes together making easily one of the best Rock/Metal albums I have had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time. It is safe to say this group has a long and prosperous career ahead of them if future releases are as creative as Love & Other Disasters. I advise getting this version as you get two excellent Bonus Tracks and six amazing videos on the DVD. Tracklisting to follow, I hope that my review was helpful or at least interesting, Thanks for reading.
TRACKLISTING
1. "Encaged" - 4:26
2. "Hellgate: Worcester" - 3:23
3. "Jack of Diamonds" - 3:41
4. "My Escape" - 4:10
5. "Fallout" - 3:51
6. "Power Shift" - 3:32
7. "Contradiction" 3:32
8. "Damage Control" - 3:49
9. "Red Eyed Friend" - 4:43
10. "Affliction" - 5:11
11. "Ruin" (bonus) - 3:42
12. "Dead Planet" (bonus) - 4:21
BONUS DVD
Jack of Diamonds (MusicVideo)
My Escape (Music Video)
Denied (Music Video)
Enclave (Music Video)
Psychic Suicide (Live)
Blue Eyed Fiend (Live)
Again thanks for reading,
-A Loyal Sonic Syndicate Fan"
Fantastic album
M. Jackson | 11/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is such a great follow up to Only Inhuman. I read a review that this album is a combination of their first two (the edge of Eden Fire with the musical progression of Only Inhuman) and I would say that is entirely accurate. Definitely some growth has occurred from Only Inhuman, and it sounds great. The two songs they released as singles (Jack of Diamonds and My Escape) are the two worst songs on the album; the rest of the album rips so hard. If you are a fan, no doubt that you will like this offering from them."
