Lilitu "The Delores Lesion" CD
[The End]
Here's some melodic metal with atmospheric tinges as well as elements of melodic Swedish styled death metal and flat out traditional metal. The leads are pretty rocked out (in a good way, they fit), some of the simpler power chord rhythms have a stripped down sort of progressive metal rhythm happening, keyboards tactfully add additional texture, etc. The songwriting is pretty damn good, though. The riffs are really energetic, the melodic Swedish influences are very creative and don't come off as generic in this framework at all, and the band's emphasis on intense melody really plays a huge role. The vocals range from forceful singing to higher-end snarls and shift effortlessly, fitting the changing dynamics of the music quite well. There are definitely a good number of clean/acoustic breaks or generally softer passages where the synths are given a bit more room, and I definitely like the way the solos are integrated into the songs rather than feeling forced. "Only the End of the World Again" has a nice midpaced churn to it with some killer melodic chords that have an atypical sort of ring that I really appreciate, blended against some of the disc's more typical alternate picked Swedish riffs; and the title track breaks out some awesome Gardenian-esque moments with great lead lines over chunky chord progressions for added power (an approach mirrored in the equally strong "Desolation Breeds"). "Dark-Haired Girl" is the calmest piece, using somber singing against faint acoustic guitars and lush synth orchestration - leading into the only awkward moments of the disc starting off "Fragments of My Reflection" with overtly electronic smatterings and some strange guitar tones that thankfully dissipate within the first minute of the seven-minute track. As far as the recording goes I have only minimal suggestions, as things sound pretty good. The mix isn't quite as clean I'd prefer for music that has so many layers involved, but I can't quite put my finger on what I'd change. The bass presence thickens up the heaviness a good deal without being dominant, the drums are taut but placed back so as not to overpower, the guitar tone is effectively dense, and the vocals are solid as well. I think there are just bits and pieces of added midrange or treble here and there that cloud things up a tad, but overall I think it sounds good and I got used to it very quickly. I thoroughly enjoy the layout here, as all of the colors, textures, and images have a consistently powerful and interesting aesthetic combined with tactful and creative text effects/arrangements. Much of the content looks fairly bleak, and that matches the tone of the lyrics perfectly: "I am not the man I used to be, I need the grief and misery to set me free, Half of me is dead and gone, Of all I've ever tried to be, Reveals what I don't want to see, Fragments are all I have to document this life (picking up the pieces)..." Not bad at all. I definitely feel like the band is capable of better, but I'm into this. I'd be curious to hear their prior two releases. (7/10)
Running time - 36:37, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: Only the End of the World Again, The Delores Lesion, Desolation Breeds]
The End Records - http://www.theendrecords.com

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