Sonic Syndicate: Only Inhuman

Sweden's Sonic Syndicate burst on the scene back in 2004 with their debut release Eden Fire on Pivotal Records, which quickly gave their brand of Gothenburg styled melodic death metal meets American hardcore a real jump start. Fast forward now to 2007, and the band has just signed with Nuclear Blast Records for their release of Only Inhuman. Produced by Jonas Kjellgren, who recently worked with Scar Symmetry, Only Inhuman is a stunning collection of stylish metal, at times bordering on flashy metalcore, but with just enough of the Swedish sound, as well as some progressive elements, to please fans who like a lot of variety in their music.

First and foremost, it's the melodies that this band push here, giving each song a memorable feel that's not unlike recent releases from bands like Soilwork, In Flames, Scar Symmetry, Killswitch Engage, and Mercenary. Songs like "Aftermath", "Psychic Suicide", and the title track are just bursting with energy and soaring melodies that are instantly memorable. More than half of the six members add vocals (and there are two lead singers here), so the range of clean and growled vocals is quite rich, with plenty of backing harmonies. The guitar work is crisp throughout, and although the band doesn't partake in many solos, the riffs are heavy and at times have a slight technical edge. Plenty of simmering keyboards float about the mix, and the rhythms are solid.

While Eden Fire might have been a bit more impressive from a musical standpoint, there's no denying that Sonic Syndicate have made it a point to write songs that are more commercially appealing here. With a label like Nuclear Blast behind them, my guess is there will be a strong push to get this band cracked in the US metal market, and there are plenty of catchy and melodic metal songs here to work with as they go about doing so.

Track Listing
1. Aftermath
2. Blue Eyed Fiend
3. Psychic Suicide
4. Double Agent 616
5. Enclave
6. Denied
7. Callous
8. Only Inhuman
9. All About Us
10. Unknown Entity
11. Flashback

Added: November 27th 2007
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Sonic Syndicate Website
Hits: 4607
Language: english

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