Symphorce

Become Death

Written by: PP on 17/04/2007 16:55:53

Everybody hates being cheated on, and that's how I felt after the opening track of Symphorce's sixth album "Become Death". "Darkness Fills The Sky", a descriptive name for the track by the way, opens the album with availing Bay-area thrash riffs thrown at you at great speeds, after which a low-range male vocalist half-growls, half-shouts vocals at you, effectively depicting darkness filling the sky as the title suggests should you choose to close your eyes and paint a picture to the song in your mind. The riffs slay in the best Slayer manner, and the chorus, though slightly cleaner than the verse, still has dark vocals contributing to the morbid atmosphere. Thereafter the album falls entirely on its face, as speed is cut in half, and the guitars lose the evilness they had in the first song. From here on, we're dealing with yet another mediocre power metal album, and I'm thinking "God where do these bands spawn from!?" and "how is Metal Blade able to keep them on the roster at the same time with a band like As I Lay Dying?".

One massive open ended riff after another, Symphorce sounds exactly like Silent Force, Messiah's Kiss and the countless other power/heavy metal hybrids from Germany. It's painfully clear what Symphorce has been listening to before writing this album, as hints of Nevermore can be found in the raw-ish vocal style and the overall riff structure in every song, though without ever reaching anywhere near the level the metal gods do on every album. Speaking of the songs, they blend together so well that after five listening times I still can't believe there are 10 songs on the album. Some of them may start with soft piano introductions ("In The Hopes Of Dream"), while others will get straight into the riffs ("Death Has Come"), but all have essentially the exact same elements in common. It all says so little to me I can't help but think how they have been around for six albums without noticing that the world just doesn't care - unless you are one of the freaks who collects every single power metal release out there.

You might say I'm being slightly harsh here, but hey, I hate getting all geared up for a nice thrash album to bang my head to, and then being treated to wishy-washy monotoneous male vocals and the same soundscapes I've heard over and over again this year. But hey, if power metal is what you're looking for, then Symphorce might be for you - they're basically to power metal what Hawthorne Heights is for emo, only on a much smaller scale. That's my opinion anyway.

5

Download: Darkness Fills The Sky
For the fans of: Nevermore, Messiah's Kiss, Silent Force
Listen: Myspace

Release date 26.02.2007
Metal Blade
Provided by Target ApS

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