Skepsis dumped this short steamy load into my unwilling palms at the same Fates Warning show that delivered Optic's demo into my clutches and which opened my eyes to the god-awful and cunningly incognito Halcyon Way. I don't know how I managed to get through that show alive now that I think of it. If it wasn't for excellent sets from Magus Beast and Fates Warning, my three hour drive to Amnityville, Long Island would have been a total shitfest. Predictably, for a young group of musicians, there's not a lot here to really dig into. The two songs are a measly seven minutes long, a bit shorter than would be desireable as a first listen. One more track would be nice, preferrably a track which incorporated less of the screaming styled vocals and more of the clean vocals which might be better or might be as lame as a perfectly scooped ice cream cone getting knocked on the floor as soon as you touch your tongue to it.
Opening track "New World Order" is heavy with screamed vocals suitable in a scream-o band in the verses and the chorus are your typical clean dross. The best part of the band is the guitar work, but that's nothing that isn't available elsewhere and the predictable and run-of-the-mill melodic progressions are the hallmarks of a band that doesn't quite have their own style yet. "Colors of War" is a little better and decisively boring melodic thrash, utilizing clean vocals throughout and not falling prey to the whole amatuerish scream-o vibes of the first track. The song falters early though with some poorly executed off-time chugs. I don't know Skepsis... there's work still to be done here. Coming from New Jersey, land of piss-poor screamo and Killswitch Engage... this is about the last thing I give a shit about.
9 comments:
They're from Long Island, not Jersey. And way to post a review as if you know them personally, and they've been bad people to you. Criticism should be constructive, not outright douchey.
I've never said they were from New Jersey. I pointed out that I come from New Jersey, land of shitty metalcore.
If you hand someone a free CD as a promo, you should be prepared for whatever criticism will follow. People constantly say "Criticism should be constructive" or whatever and I don't ever remember there being laws about what criticism should be. What are you? Their overprotective mom?
Opinions are all well and good, but as a reviewer it should be a well rounded synopsis of what you heard….Yes, there is work to be done here - of course there is – they are young….but there is serious potential here. For an initial first effort, I see so much promise…..and if you were at the Fates Warning show as I was, you really should have noticed that the bass player is a monster - the two guitarists have very different styles, but yet they compliment each other beautifully….and the drummer - well, I don’t know what you were hearing but he is incredibly tight and in-the-pocket….too much scream vocals and not enough clean - well, the song dictates that (some have more, some have less - keep listening Dude)…..Musically, they’re stuff is a bit complex and as time goes on the fluidity of the time changes, etc. will flow better…..I see and hear nothing but a strong effort with immense potential…..I want to see what they come up with next because I know it will be even more polished as their experience continues to shape them…. \m/
Actually, I got there during the first band played because I worked until 5pm, and had a three hour drive to the show so I missed all this incredible live effort you seem to be enamored with. I'm only criticizing the demo. It's not a live review.
I only heard two songs - that's all there was on the demo. If the band wanted to send me a full album or something longer, maybe my opinions would change but I wrote what I heard on the demo. Everything you're saying here is just as much opinion as what I wrote. I have a different opinion. It's my opinion.
I'd be happy to hear what they do next and I'm sure it will be better as second efforts usually are, but that doesn't mean I can't proliferate my thoughts on this demo in any way I see fit.
There's a reason that people send me stuff to review - it's because I have a no bullshit review style and I tell it like I hear it. If you think all this stuff about the band, then write your own counter review somewhere. It's an open forum and this isn't the hardest I've been on a band.
Listening again just makes me feel this is even more generic than I gave it credit for.
Hey Orion, this is Jimmy one of the guitarist in the band. We are currently working on some more new material and once we are finished up I'd love to send it to you maybe change your opinion. I appreciate the feedback and am definitely taking it into account! It wasn't our best effort but it was our first and that's all I can say lol :)
Hey Jimmy. Yeah I'd enjoy hearing it. It's great when I can review something, then review another newer release and say the band has gotten better. Let me know when it's available via email or the facebook page.
Also, why is it that band's are so much better at accepting their own criticism then their over-zealous friends?
I think it just got started off on the wrong foot by calling it a "steaming pile of crap" xD
Eh. Figured I would get right to the point.
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