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Coldseed: Completion Makes the Tragedy

Soilwork's lead singer Bjorn "Speed" Strid certainly is a busy man these days. Not content to just front the popular Soilwork, Strid also juggles Terror 2000 and now this new project Coldseed. Completion Makes the Tragedy might just be the most unique of the three, as it's one hard act to classify. Sure, it's metal, but Strid and the boys throw many different styles into the pot, like thrash, melodic metal, stoner, progressive metal, metalcore, pop, and classic groove laden old school metal. Joining "Speed" in this venture are guitarists Thorsten Praest & Gonzalo Alfageme Lopez, bassist Oli Holzarth (Blind Guardian/Sieges Even), keyboard player Mi Schuren (Blind Guardian), and drummer Thomen Stauch (current Savage Circus/ex-Blind Guardian). Together the band have created some interesting music here which will of course appeal to Soilwork fans, but also listeners who like bands that throw a variety of sounds into the mix. However, don't expect a galloping power metal feast here, as even though there are current and former Blind Guardian members here this is anything but, although there are brief moments here and there where tempos reach a manic and speedy pace.

Strid does much more clean singing here than growls, so if you liked the last few Soilwork albums than you'll be sure to enjoy his performance on this release. The way he goes back and forth between the melodic vocals and some manic screams on a few tracks will remind some of Devin Townsend's solo work as well as Strapping Young Lad. However, it's his soaring clean vocals on the melodic gems "Democracy Lesson" and "Reflection" that really surprise, as he elevates these two songs to almost "hit" potential. Elsewhere, expect plenty of metal flavors, hot guitar riffs and solos, and some thunderous drum work from the always reliable Stauch. Coldseed are one all-star project that has the goods to stick around for a while if they keep up this kind of output. Well done!


Track Listing

  1. My Affliction
  2. Democracy Lesson
  3. Nothing But A Loser
  4. Five More To Fix
  5. Burning With A Shade
  6. Low
  7. On My Way
  8. Reflection
  9. Completion Makes The Tragedy
  10. Hatched
  11. Vulture Of The Throne
  12. At Last

Added: July 20th 2015
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Coldseed Website
Hits: 4501
Language: english

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Coldseed: Completion Makes the Tragedy
Posted by Jon Neudorf, SoT Staff Writer on 2015-07-20 02:21:02
My Score:

The German based Coldseed was a project formed by Soilwork vocalist Björn Strid. Completion Makes The Tragedy was released in 2006 and was their only album. They disbanded in 2008.

Joining Strid were Thorsten Praest (lead and rhythm guitars), Gonzalo Alfageme López (lead and rhythm guitars), Oliver Holzwarth (bass guitar), Mi Schüren (keys, effects, loops) and Thomen Stauch (drums).

Completion Makes The Tragedy is a solid metal album with a fair amount of variety. The band blends speed, industrial, rap and nu metal into an interesting concoction that gives the band a fairly unique sound. The music is often mid paced although there are some speedier moments like the faster "Five More To Six" and the heavier "Low" complete with a layer of keyboards adding another dimension of moodiness to the sound. Touches of industrial metal are included in the album opening "My Addiction" and "Burning With A Shade", with the latter featuring a smart use of effects and samples and a cool machine-like landscape. At times a hint of rap metal creeps in like the heavy "Nothing But A Loser" featuring choppy riffs and a scorching guitar solo and "On My Way" where the guitar occasionally has a '60s surf-like vibe.

My favourite song is the lovely ballad "Reflection" using tasteful orchestrations and excellent clean vocals. Strid has a fantastic and varied voice but it his clean singing I enjoy the most. This has to be one of the album's catchiest moments. The title track is another catchy slice of mid paced metal.

Completion Makes The Tragedy is a very good metal album and well deserving of getting a reissue from Metal Mind Productions.

Best tracks: "Reflection" and "Completion Makes The Tragedy".

Coldseed: Completion Makes the Tragedy
Posted by Ken Pierce, SoT Staff Writer on 2007-01-15 20:01:02
My Score:

What is it about side-projects from any of these European bands that make them better than some of the main band around the world? Generally, when you have a member of a popular band who goes solo you find the end result a far less gratifying experience. Not so in the case found here with the unique power in the band Coldseed. This project comes from the unification of lead singer from Soilwork Bjorn "Speed" Strid and drummer Thomen Stauch (Blind Guardian/Savage Circus). Immediately the listener will realize that while truly a Heavy Metal album, it does not possess many of the similar qualities that they have come to know from either of these performers. Yet despite this, the entire release is an enjoyable thing with numerous hooks and tremendous amounts of melody. "Speed" as a singer is the commanding presence we all love from Soilwork but on this album he gets to use more of the melodic side we saw coming to the front a lot more on Stabbing The Drama (SW's most recent effort). The same applies for drummer Stauch who everyone knows is a thundering powerhouse. On the Coldseed debut he takes different approaches at a more conventional level of playing and during songs like "Nothing But A Loser" he shows the ability of being quite restrained when necessary. This very groove-laden release owes some credit to Thrash and Old School Metal and uses a twist of the Nu stuff of merit.

"Democracy Lesson" is one of the best tracks present and could win over fans of bands like Sevendust, and Stone Sour since it follows in some of the same vibe as those bands do. "Five More To Fix" is another winner and a lesson in thrashing for the listener with a quick feel and "Low" really lets Stauch go loose with the kind of drummer we love to hear him do. The lineup of the group is complimented by Thorsten Praest (guitar), Gonzalo Alfageme Lopez (guitar), Oli Holzwarth (bass) and Mi Schuren (keyboards). The presence of Blind Guardian's bassist and keyboardist allow the members to be a little more familiar and flexible with each others playing style. I have to say that I enjoyed this different side of life from these musicians who have each offered the Metal world some amazing stuff in the past. The influences and textures on "Completion Makes The Tragedy" offers a wide audience a solid listen that is stunning, powerful and interesting with every track. It is my hope this shows some touring and does not remain a studio project. We shall see.

Coldseed: Completion Makes the Tragedy
Posted by Butch Jones, SoT Staff Writer on 2006-11-11 17:33:51
My Score:

James Brown may be the "hardest working man in show business" but Soilwork & Terror 2000 vocalist, "Speed" Strid, is a close 2nd! Enter another vocal expression for Speed, Coldseed. Coldseed features former Blind Guardian, current Savage Circus drummer Thomen Stauch, Blind Guardian's Bassist Oli Holzwarth & keyboard player Mi Schuren, as well as guitarists Gonzalo Alfageme López and Thorsten Praest. With this lineup, you might think they sound like a combination of Soilwork & Blind Guardian. But you'd be wrong.

Coldseed's first release, Completion Makes The Tragedy (Nuclear Blast) is a melodic, modern and straight ahead heavy record. The mixture of heavy & melodic in their songwriting is still aggressive while allowing Speed's vocals to be more melodic than with any of his previous efforts. "My Affliction" starts off the CD and with this powerful opener the table is set for what is to come. Completion Makes The Tragedy is not like other contemporary metal releases, and really finds itself in a category of it's own. The title track is a barnstormer of a track. Fast, brutal and just grabbing you by the throat and not letting you go. The sheer power and elegant melodies throughout this CD make this a fresh listen.

While keeping the roots of their Swedish metal heritage, Coldseed have still managed to forge forward with a great mix of all of the different musical styles within the band, as well as keeping the fans of the members main projects happy. Coldseed have created a new style of heavy, melodic music without losing any of the heaviness that we have come to expect from Speed & the boys. This is a new chapter for Swedish metal & I like the new book so far! This could be the sound of tomorrow's metal.



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