Customer Reviews

Sinner's Intuition

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

 

 

More of the same from Enforsaken - and that is definitely a compliment. If you liked Forever Endeavor, you will LOVE this release. Killer riffs, ballsy vocals, fantastic melodies, soaring solos - Enforsaken is everything that In Flames and Soilwork SHOULD'VE been, and then some. Top-shelf melodic deathmetal - MADE IN THE USA!

Enforsaken plays a signature mix of the Gothenburg style, recalling gods like In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Soilwork, Arch Enemy, and The Haunted, among others. What's amazing, however, is they are the first American band I've heard to recapture the magical melodies of these bands blending them with oldschool American style death metal leanings. Had it not been for the lineup in the booklet, I'd have never believed these guys are from the USA. So melodic is their playing, even touching on Maiden's galloping riffs and occasional clean vocals that contrast the otherwise brutal riffery, it's simply amazing.

Never heard their debut, but Sinner's Intuition is a powerful second album, packed with energetic guitar riffs that sacrifice neither melody nor aggression, searing vocals, fast kick drums, and a maniacal bass guitar madness. Eric Kava deserves a special mention for achieving that killer bass performance amidst seas of never-ending guitar riffery and semi-screamed, semi-growled vocals by Steven Sagala. "Enemy Angel" is a prime example of how much bass can add to a death metal song: the song explodes with rampaging bass lines before some clean vocals mixed with brutal screaming kick in as madly-picked guitar experiments are performed by Joe DeGroot and Steve Stell. The duo finishes the piece off with a majestic unison solo that is so heavy yet also unbelievably melodic. The more technical pieces like "Slain" and "Halo of Ruin" are highlighted by swift chord progressions that blend the most powerful moments of The Haunted and Darkane, adding in big Maiden-style chords to enrich the vocal harmonies, and crazy drumming to boot. Actually the run-out solo of "Halo of Ruin" has nothing to do with death metal. On the contrary, it's an honest statement of melodic rock soloing that is absolutely expressive and articulate. "Sever the Ties" sees their session keyboardist establishing an epic, battle-like intro, as Gregorian chants enter revealing more of the band's European influences. Again, this song is graced by a majestic solo, by both guitarists battling it out on each other.

Enforsaken will interest fans of melodic death metal, particularly earlier In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, but it will also reach those that seek more aggression and relentless power in their music. This has been more than a big surprise to say the least.

Enforsaken are in fine form with their newest album, Sinner's Intuition! Good Ol' U.S. Melodic Death Metal, yet with a few twists. Enforsaken has evolved into one of America's leading Melodic Death Metal acts! This album is definitely worth the price!

www.enforsaken.com

What a great heavy metal cd. I can put this one on any day of the week and krank it. Non-stop riffage. Gothenburgh death style vocals, great production. A must for all metal heads that like the thrash loud and radical.

A different approach from the far too short lived Enforsaken on this album. More melodic, occasionally slower with a more epic/folk metal sound than its brutal predecessor, the outstanding Forever Endeavor. This new approach, falling somewhere between melodic death, thrash, and folk metal (though still dominated by the death and thrash) is great! As melodic death tends to vary in style from dominated by death metal to having strong power metal tendencies (read: overuse of synthesizers and all things cheese), I've always appreciated those album that shy away from the power metal. I can handle it in small doses, and occasionally an album will come along that is strong enough to overcome the cheese, but for the most part it's a turn off. And that's what's so attractive about Enforsaken. No power metal, here! These guys are clearly strong musicians, and uncompromising in their own vision without a desire to make their music more palatable and catchy. Good stuff!

Prematurely murdered by corporate greed, CHICAGO'S Enforsaken offered always a formidable American response to Scandinavian masters; with "Forever Endeavor" one of the best releases of 2004 as well as "SI". While their debut was a straightforward melodic death metal release blending In Flames-like melodies with Death's technical prowess, the sophomore album espouses more classic thrash influences invoking the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Death as much as Morbid Angel and Floridian death metal. Chicagoans' final masterpiece reminds me of freshness of the best and the most talented in metal too numerous to mention. They had knack for melody and aggression, as well as technical skills. Finally, Enforsaken was genuinely talented. Who knows where these guys would have gone had they received proper recognition they so richly deserved. The most underrated and betrayed band in the American metal and a genuine pearl in the city full of local musical mediocrity mislabeled as metal. Number 8 on my personal dozen; beats Gojira, Lamb of God, KsE and ATR.

You know this cd reminds me of suidakra, great folk melodic death metal band wich you should also check out...i never would've guessed their from USA, they sound swedish or of the sort. great form. they deserve recognition, and according to the web site [...] ENFORSAKEN'S largest fanbases are in The U.K and Germany. Shows that whatever your minds set at you can reach very far....maybe farther than what you think...great cd....ITS ON MY COLLECTION!!!BUY IT

Ten seconds into the first track "Witness to the fall" and you instantly know these guys' affinity for all things Gothenburg. Fortunately, that aspect only comes to play on a few areas on this album, the rest of the music focuses on playing nu-melodic death metal with some thrash elements thrown in for good measure ("Halo Ruin" being the prime example of this with its familiar thick chugging). The marriage of thrash and death these days is a risky one, and most bands end up sounding the same. Enforsaken ends up with a face without identity, but you definitely could do worse. At least these guys are just a bit above when it comes to the aggressiveness level, but it isn't enough to stand apart from the overcrowded crowd.