THE SYNN REPORT, PART 59: SCARVE

 THE SYNN REPORT  7 Responses »
Jun 302015
 

Scarve – 2003

 

(In this new edition of The Synn Report, Andy Synn reviews the discography of Scarve.)

Recommended for fans of: Strapping Young Lad, Darkane, Gorod

 

Often tagged with the ever-so-damning “Modern Metal” moniker (shudder), French musical metallurgists Scarve – whose most recent line-up includes Darkane vocalist Lawrence Mackory, Soilwork guitarist Sylvain Coudret, and Extreme Metal’s resident VID (Very Important Drummer) Dirk Verbeuren – can be a hard-to-classify beast.

Existing somewhere in the irradiated wasteland between Death and Thrash, the strong hints of Meshuggah-esque futurism and Fear Factory-style mechanised rhythms have, at varying stages of their career, seen the group lumbered with awkward references to “Cyber-Metal” and “Industrial Death Metal”, neither of which seem to accurately capture the band’s overall sound and style.

Still, we’re not here to bandy genre terms and stylistic tags, we’re here to experience some damn good Metal! So, without further ado, click onwards and feast your ears on the blisteringly technical, ferociously aggressive, and enigmatically progressive Cyber-Metal assault of Scarve…

Dammit, I said it didn’t I? Continue reading »

ANDY SYNN PRESENTS: REVIEWS IN HAIKUS (KRAKOW, INNER SANCTUM, CODE)

 Album Reviews, Reviews In Haikus  5 Responses »
Jun 262015
 

 

(Andy Synn delivers another long-overdue installment in his irregular series of album reviews in haiku. Two more reviews come after the jump. With music, of course.)

Wow, so, correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s been almost a year since I did one of these?

How time flies when you’re having… fun…

 

KRAKOW – AMARAN

Shot through the heart. Pink

Floyd’s to blame. Norwegian prog

Has a damn good name Continue reading »

KATAKLYSM: “OF GHOSTS AND GODS” — FIRST IMPRESSIONS (AND MINOR DIGRESSIONS)

 Album Reviews  8 Responses »
Jun 252015
 

 

(Andy Synn wrote the following first impressions of Kataklysm’s new album — and there IS a summing-up at the end.)

So I’ve decided to do something a little different for this review. Instead of my usual over-wordy, over-intellectualised stream of self-congratulatory bullshit (quality bullshit, of course) I’m going lo-tech and lo-fi with this one!

So after the jump you can follow my first impressions in a semi-live manner, as I note down my random feelings and musings from my first listening session to the band’s new album.

Ok, so, here we go… pushing play… Continue reading »

SHORT BUT SWEET: BARÚS — “BARÚS”

 Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET  8 Responses »
Jun 242015
 

 

(Andy Synn wrote this review of the debut EP by a French band named Barús.)

Ladies and gentlemen, I need you to stop whatever you’re doing and listen to this. This deserves your complete attention. All of it. There will be no exceptions.

Are you listening yet? Good.

Welding the mutated megaton guitar heft of Meshuggah at their slowest and heaviest to a heaving undercurrent of soul-crushing Doom and touches of the sort of hypnotic, almost ritualistic, atmosphere that would make your average occult-obsessed Black Metal band turn green(er) with envy, French Death Metal types Barús have managed to create something with their debut EP that simultaneously embraces and defies convention – something utterly dense and uncompromising, yet surprisingly progressive and introspective in nature. Continue reading »

FATHER SYNN’S METAL CONFESSIONAL (PART 7)

 Mosh Pit  41 Responses »
Jun 212015
 

 

(Father Synn is ready once again to listen to your filthy confessions after first making his own, and then to prescribe your penance. Unburden your diseased souls below.)

This week’s confessional has a special theme my brethren (and sistren). That of chances not taken and opportunities lost. Oh the sorrow. Oh the shame. Oh the goddamn fucking irritating annoyance of everyday life getting in the way!!!

Ahem.

As always, where I lead, thou shalt follow! Continue reading »

SHORT BUT SWEET: SANZU — “PAINLESS”

 Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET  7 Responses »
Jun 192015
 

 

(Andy Synn reviews the debut EP by Sanzu.)

Much like another recent review of mine, it’s impossible to conduct any sort of write-up of the debut EP by Australian Death Metal troubadours Sanzu without referencing the ever-present spectre of their main inspiration.

In this case the band’s particular brand of bludgeoning, biomechanical groove clearly owes a heavy debt to French heavyweights Gojira, with every nerve-jangling pick-scrape and raw, bellowing vocal line steeped in the band’s undeniable influence.

Yet there’s clearly also much more than mere hero worship going on here, as the quintet manage to put their own distinctive spin on things, opting for a heavier focus on the Death Metal side of things which allows for an even heavier delivery than that of their idols.

Also, did I mention that it’s really fucking heavy? Continue reading »

SHORT BUT SWEET: EXILE THE TRAITOR — “WINTER ETERNAL”

 Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET  7 Responses »
Jun 172015
 

 

(Andy Synn reviews the new EP by Scotland’s Exile the Traitor.)

Ok, let’s address the elephant in the room right away, shall we? Melodic Death/Core marauders Exile The Traitor really like The Black Dahlia Murder.

It’s obvious in everything from their song structures, to the tempos they choose, the inherent melodic spikiness of their riffs, and the subtly blackened bite of the vocals who these guys’ main influence is. Even if it apparently takes two entirely separate vocalists to successfully follow in Trevor Strnad’s portly footsteps.

Now that may all sound like criticism. It’s not. In fact, despite what I’ve said above, this is a damn good EP in its own right, bursting with unholy life and suitably necrotic energy. Continue reading »

FATHER SYNN’S METAL CONFESSIONAL (PART 6)

 Mosh Pit  55 Responses »
Jun 142015
 

 

(Father Synn returns after a brief hiatus, ready once again to listen to your filthy confessions after first making his own, and then to inflict the penance.)

Truly my shame is deep my brethren. It has been two weeks now since our last confessional together. And without my firm hand (piercing eyes, flowing leonine mane, washboard abs… sorry, getting sidetracked there) to guide you, who knows what terrible acts you may have committed?

Dear god, what have I wrought?

So I beg you… come forth and let me cleanse you, let me wash you, let me bathe you and…

Ahem… Continue reading »

SHORT BUT SWEET: VICTORIAN WHORE DOGS — “HOBO CHIC”

 Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET  2 Responses »
Jun 122015
 

 

(Andy Synn reviews the latest EP by Victorian Whore Dogs,  from Guildford in the UK.)

Let’s make this quick, shall we? I’m sure we’ve all got things to do, and places to be.

In short, Hobo Chic is awesome.

Those of you who have to leave may now do so. Anyone interested in a bit more detail… click on. Continue reading »

NO CONSEQUENCE: “VIMANA”

 Album Reviews  5 Responses »
Jun 112015
 

 

(Andy Synn reviews the new album by No Consequence from the UK.)

As a follow-up to my recent risky (or should that be… risqué?) piece defending the merits (or otherwise) of Djent as a genre (here), I thought it might be appropriate to go on to review the rather spiffing new album from the UK’s No Consequence, particularly since I snuck one of their new songs into Tuesday’s column.

Now whereas both their previous albums (2009’s In the Shadows of Gods and 2013’s IO) cleaved a little too closely to the post-Periphery formula for my liking (albeit, in a manner a cut above the majority of their peers), with all the requisite stutteringly complex riffs, electronic inflections, flashy fretwork, and good-cop/bad-cop vocals that you might expect, with their latest release the band appear to have taken a couple of steps outside of their established comfort zone.

Oh, there are still some prominent moments of recognisably Meshuggah-esque groove scattered throughout the disc, along with a plethora of soaring lead parts that recall both Animals As Leaders and Scale The Summit in their crystalline clarity (and the fact that they’re signed to underground Djent-dealers Basick Records probably won’t help dissuade the naysayers either), but by and large Vimana sees the quintet spreading their wings and shedding their skin in an attempt to become something more than the mere sum of their inspirations and influences. Continue reading »

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