Disclose

Eclipsed Vision

Written by: EW on 30/09/2008 20:39:10

A recent bundle of Italian-based albums sent to us at Rockfreaksville have alerted me to the fact that the nu metal flame seems to still be twinkling there, long after it was extinguished everywhere else by tidal waves of critical and fan dismissal. Or at least maybe I chose the wrong two in Terminal Sick and Disclose. Thankfully these two represent opposite sides of the nu metal spectrum as Terminal Sick were frankly shit whilst Disclose are at least better produced and about as good as nu metal gets (which is not very), though their existence in 2008 has nonetheless surprised me. The main problem with nu metal for me is the abject non-descriptness of everything relating to the guitars - the production, the tone, and most importantly the riff structure. Show me a nu metal song where the riffage is anything but down-tuned and syncopated and I'll tell that it's probably not a nu metal song at all. Considering this not inconsequential hurdle, nu metal and I are not the best of bedfellows.

Unfortunately this riff-phobia is evident across 95% of Disclose's debut album "Eclipsed Vision" where songs like opener "The Small Garden", though symbolic of the other nine, are based on the most uninteresting and unmemorable of riffs, recalling the days of Korn and Coal Chamber. We even get a bit of twangy Korn bass sound chucked in for good measure. As way of a separation from the aforementioned bands, however, there is a great deal of synth and sampling in most of the choruses which actually isn't too bad taking the overall feel closer to Fear Factory. "Shades Of Blindness" features a greater tendency towards Rammstein over those other nu metal numbskulls but it is the faux-paus emotion of "My Protection" and "My Son" which is a despairing let down - let it be known that emotion cannot be conveyed over such mundane chuggy riffs. If you want to learn about emotion listen to Nevermore. Let's summarise using MV's vocals on "Eclipsed Vision": at their worst they are bad, at best average, much like the album as a whole. For a nu metal listen, yes, it could be so much worse, but for a metal one it could be so much infinitely better.

5

Download: Shades Of Blindness, No Eyes On My Face
For The Fans Of: Korn, Soulfly, Fear Factory, Machine Head
Listen: Myspace
Buy: iTunes

Release date 13.06.2008
Lost Sound Records

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