Review Summary: Comfortably numb, I'm free.
Sonic Syndicate have always had one thing consistently going for them: evolution. Not one SS album sounds quite like another, whether it’s the alternative metal-inspired
We Rule The Night, the melo-death
Eden Fire, or the melodic metalcore of au fait
Love And Other Disasters, they knew how to keep listeners on their toes. And with a pretty significant lineup overhaul occuring both before and after the previous album, chances were Sonic Syndicate wouldn’t quite sound the same either. Not to mention the fact that a self-titled album coming this late in a band’s career promised a reinvention, something much needed after the predominantly stale
We Rule The Night.
Let’s first give credit to vocalist Nathan J. Biggs: holy crap, he has gotten so much better since WRTN. His screams sound more full, his growls are deeper and angrier, and his cleans soar higher. Guitarist and previous harsh vocalist Robin now only takes guitar duties, and considering the fact that he writes some pretty cool riffs (“Day Of The Dead”, “My Revenge”, “Before You Finally Break”) and that his screams were a weakness in the past, this can only benefit the group. Overall, this is the most straightforward Sonic have sounded: it’s no-frills groove metal much more in the vein of labelmates Threat Signal or heavyweight metallars Killswitch Engage. The synths that once defined the group do show up on the occasion (bridge of “Black Hole Halo” and “Before You Finally Break”), though the anthemic, explosive choruses found in tracks like “Hellgate Worcester” aren’t as much of a driving force (though the one in “Before You Finally Break” that features Bjorn is quite tasty). It’s different for the band, and while it sometimes feels like a little something is missing, this sound works much better for Nathan and the new members to work with only standing original member Robin.
Similar to
Eden Fire,
Sonic Syndicate is fairly front-loaded. Right after track five, things start feeling a little stale. Though anthemic rocker “Unbreakable” is a fun listen replete with palm-muted, major key guitar riffs, underlying synth, and those “tug at the heartstrings” vocals and lyrics, it’s the last noteworthy song, despite a few worthwhile
moments, like the chorus of “The Flame That Changed The World” or the intro of “It Takes Me”. Lyrically, it’s disappointing, similar to WRTN. But where WRTN was cheesy, this album likes to rely on the “motherf*cker formula” to establish an angry point. Typically angsty and dark lyrics don’t bug me, but constantly swearing for no reason does.
While not reaching the heights of past greats like LAOD or OI, this still has some pretty fun metalcore and does show progression and maturity. If you’re looking for some decent groove metal with slight electronic flourishes, SS is right up your alley, but this record probably won’t convert any new fans.
