Swedish metalcore/melodic & progressive death metal act Cipher System are back with their second release, and debut for Nuclear Blast Records, titled Communicate the Storms. You can't help but imagine the buzz this CD might have stirred had it come out in 2006, when this style of blistering melodic death metal, progressive soundscapes, and brutal hardcore was just starting to become all the rage. Here in 2011 however, there are a million bands doing this sort of thing, so it's a safe bet that Cipher System, as good as they are, will probably get lost in the shuffle. Despite that, Communicate the Storms is a fairly solid record, and it's pretty obvious that Cipher System have all the tools for success. "Forget to Forgive", "7 inch Cut", "A Lesson Learned", and the title track are fierce, powerful cuts that feature crushing guitar riffs, a smattering of keyboards, intricate drum fills, and a mix of hardcore bellows, death metal screams & growls, and melodic clean vocals. The musicianship is tight, the production is solid, and the songs pack plenty of punch.
The problem is, as I mentioned earlier, this style has already been done to death, and acts like In Flames, Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, Scar Symmetry, All That Remains, Darkest Hour, Mnemic, and countless others already have a firm grip with the fanbase. Is there room for Cipher System at this point? Time will tell I suppose, but if you crave those familiar Gothenburg sounds, that combine melody with brutal extreme metal, then you'll probably find lots to love here on Communicate the Storms.
Track Listing
01. 7 Inch Cut
02. Forget to Forgive
03. Communicate the Storms
04. Gods Terminal
05. End My Path
06. Objection
07. The Stairway
08. A Lesson Learned
09. Project Life Collapse
10. The Failure Starts
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