This is absolutely terrible. Why this band got signed is beyond me, but this is one of the most boring and lifeless thrash records I've ever heard in my life... and as a diehard fan of thrash metal I've heard a pretty good number of lifeless thrash records over the last 20 years. The only thing they have going for 'em is that now and then they'll drop a ripping midpaced breakdown in the late-80's/early-90's thrash tradition, but aside from that you're in for 45 minutes of bland material with a powerless recording and completely weak vocals that are right on the line between restrained singing and yelling. It's basically midpaced modern thrash with a hint of the more tolerable Pantera thing and a bunch of riffs about on par with what the leftover thrash bands of the 80's were doing around '91/'92 when they were rightfully dropping like flies. I honestly can't express how boring this is, but if you popped the disc in for yourself you'd immediately agree with me. The vocals are fucking horrible, seriously. There's no force, no energy, no emphasis whatsoever... and the music is basically in the same boat. There aren't that many tempo changes, the riffs have no color or variety, there's no spice... it's just... blah. Only fitting then that the production is right on that level, too. The guitar tone is heavy on the midrange crunch without a lot of heaviness, and it sounds pretty unnatural so it's not warm or dense at all. The drums sound alright but lack the same qualities as the guitars, and the bass tone, which is alright, just doesn't hold it down very well. There's a good level of clarity in the mix, but the vocals sound separated from the music, only drawing more attention to just how weak their performance is. A killer recording wouldn't help these songs, though. The writing is what it is, and it ain't doin' anything for me. The layout's not bad. Some of the typefaces aren't doing much for me, especially the one used for the band's "logo", but I do like the abstract visuals elements and the color scheme, and it's a consistent appearance. I don't like the lyrics just because they're a little succinct and simple, not to mention nonsensical to a degree. Passages are better than others, but even those that sound a bit more interesting make little sense. "Exterminate all rational thought, Bloodstained notes saying fuck you all, Will I be the first one bleeding on the floor?" I'll pass. Everything about this record is ineffective. You'll get maybe a combined three minutes of good riffs out of the whole ordeal. Labels really need to start being more selective. If mediocre bands are never told that they're mediocre, you'll only breed more mediocrity, and no one needs that.
[Arctic]
Running time - 44:55, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: they're all painfully uninteresting]
Arctic Music Group - http://www.arcticmusicgroup.com
