Review Summary: The Digital Veil will satisfy previous fans, but it is unlikely to win over any new ones.
The Human Abstract have a lot to answer for. While not great, their debut album was exciting enough to keep your attention for a song or two. Their follow up, however, was terrible. Terrible enough to warrant kicking out their lead singer and getting their original guitarist back. The metalcore hype train has begun chugging once again and the end result is a mixed bag.
The band has yet to find their sound, and it seems like they do not know what they want to be. Because of that, the album can become monotonous during their heavier sections, and cheesy on the cleaner ones. From a songwriting standpoint, it is an improvement from Nocturne, but their breakdowns are awful. I swear I heard, "You're going to get me off!" right before the breakdown on Faust. Fortunately they do rely on those slightly less than before.
Unlike Nocturne, the “shred” is not as frivolous . There are instances of a been there, done that feel, but some of the riffs are actually quite fun to listen to. Unfortunately a lot of it sounds uninspired. Their title track in particular sounds like it was ripped straight off of Between the Buried and Me’s Alaska. A band that has obviously influenced their sound more than they would like to admit. It is an album that is unlikely to change anyone's opinions. Previous fans will enjoy the cleaner production and improved vocals, but it is not going to win over an new ones.
