Customer Reviews

To Hell And Back

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

 

 

I see Sinergy as a cross between Children of Bodom of Nightwish, and I think most people would agree with that. There is a style that seems to appear in all Finnish metal; mainly fast, symphonic choruses, with European folk roots. I started listening to Sinergy because I am a huge Children of Bodom fan, and I wanted to check out Alexi's other band. The Children are probably my third fav. band behind Maiden and Symphony X. This album is pretty good. I like how the songs are written. Clever melodies just like the Children. If you like the Finnish metal style, Children of Bodom and Nightwish are by far the best. Sinergy has a great sound though. Some people don't like female vocals but I think it is very creative and ads a great flavor to metal.

2000's To Hell and Back is the second album from Finnish metal band Sinergy. Led by vocalist Kimberly Goss (ex-Dimmu Borgir) and featuring Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom) and Marco Heitala (Nightwish), Sinergy's brand of traditional heavy metal is an unexpected departure from the kind of music these guys are better known for.

To Hell and Back is a solid traditional metal album that's clearly inspired by the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Accept and especially Warlock and Hellion. It's nothing really imaginative or groundbreaking, but it's still cool to hear Laiho do his thing in a more traditional metal setting, and Goss is a pretty decent vocalist. It's a perfectly disposable album, but it's fun enough (especially the band's cover of Blondie's "Hanging on the Telephone), and that counts for something.

If you're into traditional metal, especially the female-fronted variety, you'll probably want to give Sinergy a try. Their 1999 debut Beware The Heavens is probably a better starting point, but To Hell and Back works as well.

If you miss late 80's speed metal, this CD will satisfy your craving. The bass & drums are solid and tight, the guitar work & the vocals are both above average for this genre. However, most of the lyrics are not great, not as bad as Racer X, but you get the idea. Overall, though, it's a pretty good disc.

Heaven and Hell is one of the funnest, well written heavy power metal albums I have heard. The musicianship is outstanding (the Children of Bodem guitar play absolughtly wails!!) and the female vocals are the best since Patt Benitar. Metal lives!!!

Catchy,melodical metal is the delivery of Sinergy in this second effort. Very close to the 80's,with a bit more polished sound. Some Helloween here and there,some Scorpions over there,even some Megadeth(the way Kimberly Goss mutters the lyrics of Return to the fourth world reminded me a bit of Sweating bullets).This guys don't pretend to be the most original band on Earth.But this is an enjoyable party-album.There is a highlight,the Scorpion-esque ballad "Laid to rest".The lyrics are a bit macabre,bittersweet,with an edge of broken glass that can cut you if you get too close(well,at least I can't think of Alexi Laiho playing in a straight honey drenched ballad...),and Goss's vocals really made me think of someone that feels beyond hope...and sanity. Musically speaking,it was not intended to surprise the audience with a load of originality,and they are not inventing or re-inventing anything.The guitar work is impressive,flashy,and I bet that Laiho could have earned himself the status of "guitar hero" had he released an album like this huh,15 years ago.But anyway,I think that the songwriting is a bit too much 80's oriented.Goss sings decently,but she's far from the status of "melodic singer".She has this voice that,in some moments made me think of...huh,yeah,Lita Ford.Ok,ok,Goss has a wider range,but well,the almost total absence of modulations and the pletora of screams is what drove me to the comparison.And no one can deny that their voices are a bit alike...But well,at least Goss earns herself more credibility by putting on herself more clothes than Ford used to do and for showing herself more as a singer/songwriter.She's not just an image,she's the frontal part of her band and seems to take her job seriously. This is a band that can give more.At least,they left me with that sensation after listening to this album.Hope that they don't lean too much in Kimberly Goss(I don't mean to be politically incorrect and I'm not putting down the lady).It's always attractive a band fronted by a girl,but if there is good music,it doesn't matter if the person fronting a band is a guy, a girl,an alien,or whatever.Hope to hear something better in their next work.

OMG I actually downloaded this album before i bought it.... After I listened to the mp3s i almost immediatly ordered this CD hahaha VERRYY Big improvement over the debute "Beware of the Heavens"! The vocals are amazing! The guitar work is totally killer and Kim sings like she will kick you in the nuts hahaha. Overall VERY good cd... but could be better (hence the 4) Comeon guys you have Alexi I know you can do sooo much better! I await the next cd anxiously :-)

Good songs and the singer does well for a female doing metal. I could certainly live without her two annoying little scream intros before the first two songs. The band is tight and talented. Reminds me of iced earth only the songs are just better. It strikes me odd though, gothic song after song about "the empire shall be defended, the 4th world is thy magical kingdom, his majestys iron hand hath guided us unto glory" then all of a sudden the last song is some teenage style "oh baby baby...dont leave me hangin on the telephone". Wassup wit dat???

This is a mediocre album at best. The music is ok but the singer really (...) - voice is sloppy. That's what has ruined the whole cd.