Hmmm... first and foremost, it didn't live up to its potential.
Now the redeeming factors here are: 1. its potential was nigh-limitless, and 2. nothing could surpass or even meet the bar set by the previous works of Daath, specifically guitarists Emil Werstler and Eyal Levi.
Unfortunately, this album amounts to a bland melange of all things Daath up to this point.
And again, I'm only reviewing this in a seemingly negative light because I love Daath and thus view them with a more critical lens than other bands I am not so passionate about. I HATE BECAUSE I CARE.
Hinderers: industrial influenced thrash/death
Concealers: non-southern, pure groovy thrash/death metal
*YES I'M INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:
Levi/Werstler, "Avalanche of Worms:" proggy nerdgasm with tons of shred and progressive elements
And now we have
Daath: proggy wankery that tries (weakly) to be technical and simultaneously groove-driven, spread out across too many tracks.
I remember first hearing a taste of this album via "Destruction/Restoration." Fun, shreddy solo, but not much else. Just fast. The thing I liked about Hinderers/Concealers was the band's ability to balance tempos and tension in a thrilling manner. For the majority of this album, songs follow a pattern: slow, melodic intro followed by 'fast,' with an abrupt ending. (Self-Destruction/Restoration, The Decider, Exit Plan, Manufactured Insomnia, etc.) I'm not sure what to call the body of these songs other than 'fast,' because they don't accomplish that much (of course I mean, RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH--> i.e. INFINITY!).
I really like Sean Z as vocalist, and Kevin Talley is really coming into his own (with strong support from Jeremy Creamer), and the skinsman reminds me a bit of Chris Adler. But the Levi/Werstler song-writing guitar duo unfortunately bog this album down with, ironically, too much speed. Favorite older songs: "From the Blind," and "Self-Corruption Manifesto." If you know these songs, you witnessed the intense groove meted out at an enticing pace. Specifically, they keep you head-banging along, eager for the next part. This new s/t album mostly just throws everything in your face at once. Songs like "Accelerant" and "NATGOD" do a good job of this-- and the latter injects a memorable solo into the mix, that avoids the premature blowing of the shred load in other songs.
Also this album is mixed oddly-- the sound levels make it a bit difficult to appreciate all of the intricacies. This does not help their cause. There is certainly much to be gleaned upon subsequent listens, but this hampers the listener's full connection with the album.
So to wrap up, I am totally biased and can never give Daath the benefit of the doubt: their potential is limitless and one cannot realistically expect them to fully meet it. This album is strong. Quite strong. It has shred, it's a riff-o-rama, and has plenty of diverse sounds (the combined guitar-playing knowledge in this band is encyclopedic).
No it does not live up to its potential. Yes it is still quite enjoyable. Fave songs: "Indestructible Overdose," "Double Tap Suicide," "Accelerant," and "N.A.T.G.O.D." (annoying acronyms ftl...) Phew. Ok. That's that. Enjoy.
TL;DR? ADD? Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUwJnF1q694
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