Post by The Centurion on Nov 5, 2006 14:28:29 GMT -5
Fearscape-Sleeping In Light
Released-2004
Label-Roweproductions
Style-Death/Doom
This review has been a long time in coming, since it took me almost two years to finally break down and buy this CD. I'm so glad I did though. Fearscape is a death/doom band from Australia and is probably one of the better bands on Steve Rowe's label.
What we have here is some pretty chunky death metal parts mixed in with some melodic atmospheric parts. I must say that the heavy parts of this disc are really what makes the band shine, they are able to start off with a great level of intensity full of grinding riffs, pounding double bass, and screeching vocals and then they can step it up a notch, then bring the whole machine to halt and go into some atmospheric melodic section. I will say that the riffs are nice and chunky and can be very brutal when they need to be. There is a good amount of variation in them, and some good doses of melody. The melodic atmospheric sections are effective for awhile, but they tend to drag on a little too long, more heavy parts would be welcome in the future since that is where most of the variation is. The grinding vocals are of great quality and are pretty easily understood. I actually really enjoy these vocals and wouldn't change a thing about them, they are for the most part high pitched shrieks with some deeper growls thrown in from time to time. The singing is really hit or miss with me. When the vocalist is singing during a heavy melodic riff, it sounds pretty good and natural. During the melodic atmospheric parts of the CD, the vocalist just sounds too uptight when he's singing. His vocals aren't out of key or anything, it just sounds like it would be more natural if he just relaxed a little bit. Instead it comes off sounding very forced and unnatural. The drumming is very good and solid too and really compliments the band well, he even plays during the clean sections which is really cool to show the band really cooperates in all parts of the CD. Flight of Icarus is a bass solo for the most part which is pretty cool as it gives the impression of Icarus falling and spiraling to the ground. The Last of the Celts is a great way to end off the album, while being long, is a very soothing track and puts you to sleep. I must also note that the production values on this release are top notch, everything is mixed well, and the whole disc has a very full and consistent sound which really helps in the heaviness department.
Lyrically Fearscape is 100% full on for Christ, which is a good thing. Yet this is not the lyrical cheese found in some Christian bands. Their lyrics deal with quite a few different topics and focus alot on frailty of mankind. Good stuff.
Overall I'd say this is an above average release. In the future I would recommend the band to focus more on a mixture of melody and heaviness instead of breaking up the songs so much.
Reviewed by Dan.
Released-2004
Label-Roweproductions
Style-Death/Doom
This review has been a long time in coming, since it took me almost two years to finally break down and buy this CD. I'm so glad I did though. Fearscape is a death/doom band from Australia and is probably one of the better bands on Steve Rowe's label.
What we have here is some pretty chunky death metal parts mixed in with some melodic atmospheric parts. I must say that the heavy parts of this disc are really what makes the band shine, they are able to start off with a great level of intensity full of grinding riffs, pounding double bass, and screeching vocals and then they can step it up a notch, then bring the whole machine to halt and go into some atmospheric melodic section. I will say that the riffs are nice and chunky and can be very brutal when they need to be. There is a good amount of variation in them, and some good doses of melody. The melodic atmospheric sections are effective for awhile, but they tend to drag on a little too long, more heavy parts would be welcome in the future since that is where most of the variation is. The grinding vocals are of great quality and are pretty easily understood. I actually really enjoy these vocals and wouldn't change a thing about them, they are for the most part high pitched shrieks with some deeper growls thrown in from time to time. The singing is really hit or miss with me. When the vocalist is singing during a heavy melodic riff, it sounds pretty good and natural. During the melodic atmospheric parts of the CD, the vocalist just sounds too uptight when he's singing. His vocals aren't out of key or anything, it just sounds like it would be more natural if he just relaxed a little bit. Instead it comes off sounding very forced and unnatural. The drumming is very good and solid too and really compliments the band well, he even plays during the clean sections which is really cool to show the band really cooperates in all parts of the CD. Flight of Icarus is a bass solo for the most part which is pretty cool as it gives the impression of Icarus falling and spiraling to the ground. The Last of the Celts is a great way to end off the album, while being long, is a very soothing track and puts you to sleep. I must also note that the production values on this release are top notch, everything is mixed well, and the whole disc has a very full and consistent sound which really helps in the heaviness department.
Lyrically Fearscape is 100% full on for Christ, which is a good thing. Yet this is not the lyrical cheese found in some Christian bands. Their lyrics deal with quite a few different topics and focus alot on frailty of mankind. Good stuff.
Overall I'd say this is an above average release. In the future I would recommend the band to focus more on a mixture of melody and heaviness instead of breaking up the songs so much.
Reviewed by Dan.