Feared: Synder

Feared is one of those bands that could also be described as a project—at least originally. I mean, it started back in 2007 with guitarist Ola Englund developing (and recording) ideas. From there, things began to blossom, but not all at once. I won't rehearse the whole history here; simply put, the band has slowly gathered both members and momentum and have been giving fans intense and crushing music pretty consistently for a few years now. Many people will know the band—or will want to know the band—because it features members of others bands like The Haunted, Clawfinger, and Suffocation. Sure, the musicianship is good (as is the songwriting), but it wouldn't be right to think of this as a side project or a one-off vanity recording. Instead, Feared is a fully grown and established band that is ready to take on the world. But that isn't quite right. This band has already started taking on the world. It's now time for the world to pay attention.

The album title translates as "sinner" in English. The term also brings to mind terms like "cinder" or "sunder." I don't have time for language lessons here, but I think it's cool that all these terms fit into the music featured on this album. Transgressive and intense, the songs on this album constantly press against the listeners' ears and minds. One of the songs, "Caligula," brings us face to face with the atrocious dealings of the Roman emperor of the same name. The craziness of the music here would certainly be at home alongside someone like Caligula. This is music that invokes pain ("Iron and Ashes," so far as I can tell, speaks to human pain and suffering). The music could also be compared to armies clashing in head to head combat. Like soldiers on the field of battle, the music constantly presses forward, pushing harder and harder until the enemy is down. Things quiet down from time to time, but even then there's the constant sense that more and more fury lurks just around the corner.

Things are not always fast and furious. For those needing a break from the intensity, "Dygder" offers up a quiet piano meditation, presumably on the topic of human virtue (I'm pretty sure "dygder" means "virtue" in English). The closing track also opens with some soothing arpeggios. It's nice when things slow down, but this is no album for those wanting something other than relentless intensity. Most of the songs are built around the same core concepts. There are, however, moments in "The Narcissist" that take things down a little, including in the vocals. There are also some clean vocals on "My Own Redemption." These moments work pretty well, but they are best when they are short and followed by the inevitable crashing down at the end. There is also a moment on "Wolf at the End of the World" where I can hear some symphonic components playing in the background, strings punctuating the rhythm. Little moments like that suggest that this band wants to push the music in slightly different directions, to experiment with layers of sound. It all works quite well; I'll be interested to know what this band does next.

Track Listing:
1. Synder
2. Your Demise
3. Of Iron and Ashes
4. Caligula
5. My Grief, My Sorrow
6. Dygder
7. By Silent Screaming
8. Wolf at the End of the World
9. My Own Redemption
10. Dying Day
11. War Feeding War
12. The Narcissist
13. Godless Devotion

Added: May 20th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 1896
Language: english

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