Customer Reviews

End of Life

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After listening to their debut single "Whispers" on their myspace page, I decided to purchase the entire album. I must say that these guys are talented. The lead guitarist Mauser (who is also from the death metal band Vader) is very very good. He can really jam out, and really shines in most of the songs in his solos. Heinrich, the bass guitarist, (is from the death metal band Vesania) keeps the rhythm going strong with his riffs. I really love his slap bass solo in the song "Indifference." Vaaver, the drummer (also from Indukti) is very talented, one of the best drummers out there. You can hear his distinctive sound throughout the album. Aya, the vocalist, isn't too bad. Her tone is very clear, and she is pleasant to listen to. She is Polish so she does have a thick accent, but I don't have a problem with it. She doesn't have the power of Sharon from Within Temptation or Cristina from Lacuna Coil, but she rounds out the band well. Their lyrics are a bit simple and occasionally ridiculous sounding (especially the song Destiny), since English obviously isn't their first language, I can let that slide. With time I bet, they will improve their songwriting skills.

Overall, their music skills are above average and their lyrical skills are fair. However, if you are expecting Death Metal like Vader and Vesania, you will be disappointed. They are very much Gothic Metal with clean vocals only.

At first glace I was skeptical of this group. Looking at the title and the name, I expected this to be typical female-fronted metal group, nothing real special. However, the first few tracks got me hooked immediately. Her voice is way above par, and it shows. Rarely have I heard such an expressive singer. Sure, sometimes she hits the high notes a bit much, but she pulls it off well. The guitar work alone is also worthy of great praise, the guy certainly isn't lazy about his playing, tossing in a speed riff or two. The guy can play, and he doesn't hold back in showing his talent here. When combined, you have a unique band worth listening to. I haven't been abe to put it down.

I picked this one up some months ago while browsing Amazon's recommended albums (...of recommended albums ...of recommended albums). It looked intriguing, so I gave the sample playlist a run.

Initially the sound seemed "off" compared to the Within Temptation, Nightwish, Lunatica, and Autumn that I'm used to. I thought, "Wow. I don't think I like this... but I'll listen a little longer." Inexplicably hooked, I bought the album and gave it a full listening. And you know what?

It's excellent.

The songs are generally very upbeat and intense; the album kicks off to a strong start with Whispers and takes few breaths (Face the Truth, Memories) as it pounds through over fourty minutes of awesome before closing with a bang on Indifference. Unsun's enthusiasm really shines through the composition and the performance - they love what they do, and they let you know it. They also tap into something that the genre and modern music in general is by and large lacking: FUN. You cannot help but bob your head to some of songs or grin with pleasure as the band simply ENJOYS itself in the songs (whether it's random speed riffs like in Lost Innocence, toying with effects in Whispers, or ripping through an insanely catchy chorus in Closer To Death).

It's this sense of fun and enjoyment that I believe has proved to the band's "inexplicable" pull. And it's this same sense of fun that allows the album to grow on you the way they almost assuredly will. It started off as a hesitant purchase, but quickly steamrolled over hundreds of songs to the top of my playlist ranks, where it has reigned unchallenged for months.

Unsun's debut has produced an album that, through its playfulness, energy, variety, and expressiveness, breathes a fresh breath into the "tried and true." It pays mere lip service to the temple of "The Formula" before paving its own road into fresh territory. And you'll love it.

In the diverse metal soundscape, UnSun's music might be categorized as "gothic metal". However it may be classified, what is significant, is that this band from Poland, is responsible for producing solid, rather catchy, and very listenable metal, on their debut album, The End Of Life (2008).

Singer Annelyse "Aya" Stefanowicz's voice, is what you almost immediately notice, and focus on. She may not have the greatest range, but Aya can sing through a wall of heavily distorted guitars, and not be irritating, or come off as overtly pretentious. That English is not Aya's native language, only adds to the charm of her performance.

The rest of UnSun consists of Aya's husband Maurycy `Mauser' Stefanowicz on guitar, Filip 'Heinrich' Halucha on bass, and Wawrzyniec `Vaaver' Dramowicz on drums. The songs are mostly mid-tempo to slow, usually with a thick heavy background sound of indistinct guitars, with some keyboard sprinkled in. Occasionally the guitars get more aggressive, but UnSun's music is more about establishing a groove, rather than blasting powerful riffs. The infrequent guitar solos, are mostly short, well executed, and to the point. Mauser's playing style bears little resemblance, to the thrashy sound of the death metal band Vader, which he was a member of for over ten years.

For good or bad, although there is some variety in structure, the songs do have a certain similarity in tonality. Despite the album's somewhat gloomy title, the overall vibe is not negative, and there really isn't a throwaway track on the . The music imparts few feelings of deep pain, or a sense of despair. If you want to get depressed, this probably won't do it.

Whispers, was apparently the first song that the Stefanowiczs demoed for the album, and it was chosen for the first single, although Destiny, or the pulsating, The Other Side, are also interesting options. Bring Me To Heaven, might be the group's most commercial effort. Closer To Death , On The Edge, Lost Innocence, Blinded By Hatred, and Indifference are bouncy, catchy, metal. The ballads, Face The Truth, and Memories, provide a change of pace from the grind. Check out UnSun's music on You Tube, and you might find that the band can more than hold their own, with others in the in the genre.

I found them by accident looking up Lacuna Coil videos on Youtube, and was unsure what to make of UnSun at first, however, after the first verse of Whispers, I was enthralled. I had to hear it again, and again, and then listened to some other songs before making the decision to get the Album.

Concesus: Her accent is very thick, and yet quite enjoyable. It's almost refreshing to have a voice that is different from all that I've been used to, and she compliments the band very very well. The songs are albeit simple, but they are well written musically speaking, with each song carrying a strong quality to the effect of having a very strong complete album.

If you like lead female vocals, a strong guitar sound, and just good uncomplicated listening, you shouldn't miss The End of Life.

I have to admit, it took a few listens to really start to love this CD. But it's really quite good, and I'm looking forward to their next release. My only complaint is that a couple of the songs have very repetitive lyrics, but I wouldn't let that deter you from checking it out. Even in those songs, the awesome guitar keeps me into it.

I enjoy this metal album. Her vocals are strong and she has a great voice, the music is intense, driving, and the lyrics are good as well. My only complaint is the songs seemed a little too similiar to one another. But if you're looking to rock out I'd recommend this album.

Yet another death metal band with a pop singer. Beautiful or a complete disaster? In this case, it works. It's crunchy, catchy, and engaging. Unsun doesn't compare well to other bands. Leaves' Eyes, maybe, but with more natural vocals. It's their own sound. Start off with "Whispers", "Destiny", "Bring Me To Heaven", and "Blinded By Hatred."

I have a couple gripes that make this just an average album. First, Aya's accent slurs the hell out of the ballads. They'd better in their native language even through I don't understand a word of Polish. Same outcome, but less silly. Second, there's a techno rhythm toy that's rapping loudly through the faster songs. What the hell?

Hi there, all you seasoned death metal musicians! Say, are you getting tired of cranking out blistering, face-melting, technical riffs year after year, but never really making it big because of the limited audience for your brand of music? Is playing dozens of small, dank venues packed to the rafters with sweaty, smelly metal fans who paid $8 at the door not making ends meet quite as well as you'd like? Do you sometimes look with envy at the success enjoyed by more mainstream bands, but don't want to so obviously compromise your musical vision? Want to swap that beat-up tour van for a motor home?

Here's your 3-step solution. We like to call it "The Unsun Method."

Step 1: Dial back the intensity a bit, but still write songs that showcase your hard-earned musical talent. Slow those chugging metal scorchers down to a tempo less likely to scare the kids. Throw in some pop hooks. Write a couple of ballads. After years of painful shin splints from all the frenzied double bass drum thumping, your drummer will certainly appreciate the break.

Step 2: Hire a skinny blonde girl to sing for your new group. Are her English skills questionable? No sweat - just coach her to sing the lyrics phonetically. She doesn't have *that* great of a voice, maybe a little on the whiny side? No problem - we'll clean that up in the studio. Just make sure she looks good in tight dresses and goth-style go-go boots for all the publicity shots.

Step 3: Success!

When I first listened to this album, I had no expectations at all as I had never heard of UnSun before. And I was utterly blown away by what I heard.

The phrase I would use to describe this recording is "super-catchy but driven pop-metal." Every song contains hooks in the vocals, guitar part and/or keyboard parts (of which there are many - the keyboards are often blaring here). They're put together so well that they instantly grabbed me - my head bobs and I can't help moving to the beat and singing along. The guitars are very heavy, and there's a lot of double-bass. The speed of the album in general is fast, and there are occasional smoking-quick riffs from the guitar.

I tend to find that bands that play fast music die on the slow songs - not so here. "Face the Truth" is the first break on the album, and while it is not as fast-paced as the rest it contains a great deal of power. It's not a disappointment at all. "Memories" is the other, and while I do not find it to have any particularly special qualities, I find it to be more listenable than other ballad-type songs by bands in the symphonic-metal genre.

About the genre - UnSun doesn't sound much like Within Temptation or Nightwish, but there are some similarities to pre-Karmacode Lacuna Coil. I would say that UnSun has a better pop sensibility, and yet the music itself is heavier.

The singer's voice itself is nice and clear, but the lyrics and delivery suffer from what seems to be difficulty with English. I find that this does not detract much from my enjoyment of the music, since the melody itself is consistently spot-on (both in pitch and timing).

In summary, although I do not think every single song on this album is a five-star song, overall this is a fantastic, fast-paced release, and I just can't stop listening to it despite the oddities in pronunciation. Five stars overall.