Customer Reviews

Only Human

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

 

 

Ok i first heard Eden Fire which was a very decent album, but when Only Inhuman came out god damn i loved it! An extremely good combination of heavy metal, generally classed as melodeath (melodic death metal), it's an awesome buy! I would recommend it to those that love the heavier sound that has a very catchy sway to it. Sonic Syndicate leaves you unable to keep still through their songs, be prepared to find yourself tapping something, anything to their songs :)

I got this album after seeing the video clip for Denied. The more I listen to this CD, the more I like it. I think they cross genres a bit but if you like heavy riffs, backing growls and some great drumming then you should like this cd. I think the combination of two vocal styles complement each other also.

Saw them open for Amon Amarth. The live show was so good bought the CD. There are about 7 solid songs on this album. As other reviewers stated, if you like Soilwork, Bodom, In Flames and like lyrical choruses pick this one up. Blue Eyed Fiend is one of my favorite songs ever. Over 200 plays on my I-Pod.

Sonic Syndicate has always marveled me with their unique take on the metal subgenre "Melodic Death Metal". Despite claims from fans and critics alike, Sonic Syndicate still maintains to create Melodic Death Metal, just a style unlike other bands commonly displayed today. Sonic Syndicate can be described basically as a blend between In Flames, System Divide, Sylosis and Soilwork.

Like fellow Melodic Death Metal bands Sylosis, System Divide, and Soilwork, Sonic Syndicate does a unique spin on the genre, mixing heavy growls/screams, with more traditional sounding clean vocals. Sonic Syndicate is capable of pulling this off beautifully thanks to the groups two singers: Richard and Roland. The two vocalists find harmony in their voices throughout the songs, despite the differences in their singing styles.

The album starts off with the melodic, and catchy track "Aftermath". The song finds a nice balance between the two styles, allowing Richard to growl the majority of the verses and leaving Roland to perform the majority of the chorus alone (with Richard occasionally providing accompaniment in the background). It's a formula that Sonic Syndicate usually follows: harsh verses with clean choruses. The formula works precisely, just like the Pythagorean theorem, consistent, and exact.

Several songs venture away from this formula, and allow Roland to take more charge. "Enclave" is a track that consists of solely clean vocals, and the result is amazing. Roland is a very talented and capable singer, and "Enclave" does a great job of showcasing this. Transitioning from quiet, calm singing during the verses to a much more powerful refrain, makes "Enclave" one of the best tracks on the album, due to its intensity despite its difference and variation from the remainder of the album.

Stand out tracks include: "Denied", "Unknown Entity", "Aftermath", and "Psychic Suicide". The pace of these tracks is high tempo, and the blend between vocal styles is at its best in these songs. Sonic Syndicate never struggles to find an equilibrium between singing and growling, and the entire album "Only Inhuman" provides some of the band's best work to date. If you're a fan of Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Sylosis, Mors Principium Est, Soilwork, or Deadlock, you're bound to enjoy listening to this album.

Sonic Syndicate hail from Sweden and after a competition were snapped up by Nuclear Blast who... wow, they really put the spin doctors to work on this mob. Taking a look at earlier promo shots of this band it was all a bit messy but hey, some expensive hair stylists, wardrobe alterations and some serious weight loss and gym time for the boys and hey presto, you have a serious contender for the `Angsty teen 2007 Awards'. Loving produced by Jonas Kjellgren the sound is thoroughly modern but anchored by the rules of good taste and not every single nook and cranny feels crammed with noise - but close. The mood overall is one of a young band cruising into a bright future and as such there is a feeling of optimism to the album as a whole that is pointedly lacking in the actual sonics (so go figure). Basically written entirely by one of their guitarists this is a fairly meaty and insistent album chock full of crashing guitars and for the most part even the few mellower numbers feel forceful.

Musically the main selling point is the dual vocals of Richard Sjunnesson and Roland Johansson who slash and burn throughout this entire disc. Alas one of them - and I've never cared enough to figure out which - mostly has a repertoire consisting of shrieking. Which of course ruins most of the songs for a great many punters who came of age BEFORE metalcore. Not that it is without its merits and in fact works a total treat on the tune Denied, the scorched earth nature of the shriek vocals here punctuating solid song craft, real melody and anger that doesn't sound totally forced. I mean as mentioned above these guys come from Sweden which is a nation totally looked up to for it's cradle to the grave benefits and high taxes and suicide rates aside, it's hard to think of many nations where you'd rather be living. So the faux angst does grate. But as I said, not on the track Denied nor on the mellower number Enclave and the fact that these two tracks were used as singles is hardly surprising as they really do show the band at its best and if they follow this path there may be a very bright future for them.

The immediacy of its payoffs and the faux earnest nature of its assault will undoubtedly appeal to the young metalhead crowd and good luck to `em. But for me the super obvious nature of the touch-all-bases approach is a bit of a give away. I mean, their image was sorted out, they have two vocalists to help with a familiarity dividend as people will think of Linkin' Park, one of them does the screech vocal thing and their female bass player provides the girl power quotient to appeal to all the young metal ladies out there. And I can't recall a non singing bass player who got so much attention in the video clips either though I'm not complaining... even in my advancing years I can recognise a young woman of great beauty!

My most sincere advice is to sample or download Denied and Enclave or catch their videos on the net and probably sample the other tunes before you buy as there is merit here but it's yet to really flower.

I really loved this band when I first heard of them from Revolver Magazine, and I checked them out and immediately bought there album. It's been one of my favorites ever since.