Phinehas

The Last Word Is Yours To Speak

Written by: AZ on 28/07/2013 18:52:22

The most adaptive species of each kind are the ones that pass on to the next generations. This is something we see every day around us presented in various ways. Take heavy music as an example and “metal” in particular. If you think about the genre 10 years ago and now, you will find a difference as great as the Grand Canyon. Examples go from the likes of Pantera and Slayer, through bands like Disturbed to modern days heroes Gojira. Flashy guitar solos, backing samples, breakdowns, complex riff in odd time signatures – trends are different with each new wave but the best things stick. So when a band like Phinehas dubs themselves simply as a metal on their FB page I take this in two ways. On one hand they are so different from everything out there that there is no point in being concrete. On the other – the guys want it all. They do not wish to hold themselves back with words like “heavy”, “fast”, “core”, etc.

Right off the bat “The Last Word Is Yours To Speak” grabs the listener by the neck and slams him to the ground with “Fleshkiller”. This is the best track on the record as it has a nice balance between a fast pace, breakdowns and a catchy chorus. The great guitar work by Jason Combs is the main reason for the success of this song. His strums seem linked to the double bass of Lee Humerian throughout the verse, while still pulling off a crafty echoing chorus. The funny thing is that the more I listen to this song, the more I think I heard it before somewhere. “The Deepest of Graves” continues on with the same formula – growl on the verse and clean singing on the chorus. Not saying it is bad – it is just repetitive.

What I keep on experiencing when I listen to the tracks is a conscious effort to sound memorable. Phinehas remind me a lot of Five Finger Death Punch. All the right ingredients are there but I cannot get hyped about any of their songs. Same thing here. Complex ideas and great execution which seem to be a rearranged form of what Parkway Drive or All That Remains usually provide.

Bottom line - “The Last Word Is Yours To Speak” is a record that stands out with great execution. Unfortunately the forced “catchiness” and “copy-paste” mindset of the guys make the album leave my memory as fast as it occupied it.

6

Download: Fleshkiller, The Deepest of Graves, Manipulator's wire
For The Fans Of: All That Remains, Asking Alexandria, Five Finger Death Punch
Listen: Facebook

Release Date 23.07.2013
Red Cord Records

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