Review Summary: "...infinite potential shown throughout with some noticeable finesse - worth a listen."
Boy, do I love me some good old fashioned creativity mixed with meaningful music; it is pretty much what makes an album stand out as a lively oeuvre than simply just songs that sound good that are just slammed together.
Here is a fairly unknown example for you; enter the Swedish metal band's debut, and so far only album... Måsstaden!
No, not that band... Vildhjarta! Now please excuse me while I cough up a lung.
This is an album made by a band with progressive and djent-like roots, it has unexpected moments, plenty of riffs, and a slightly creepy under-tone to enjoy - although some may wonder if they're as hard to listen to as much as it's hard to pronounce their band's name without stumbling.
If you are looking for the more clean type of vocals; you are not going to find much of that here, and that is not a complaint when the un-cleans are executed well like here - they are not horribly layered thanks to the band's two vocalists, they go well with the flow of the instrumentation and changing tempos, and they are also not overtly distorted, which is a fantastic change of pace to hear for once in a genre like this.
Although the deeper vocals can be a little harder to make out at times; growler Vilhelm Bladin still does a grand job at producing chemistry with other vocalist Daniel Ädel, it comes off as very natural, and not forced - which is a great trait to have for an album with such a heavy tone like this.
The track with the absolute best vocal performance by both has to go to the song Traces, that sudden unexpected switch-up in the melody you hear is attention-grabbing and it most definitely adds replay value for me.
The production took me off guard a little, I am not going to lie - it does not sound like a complete mumbled mess like I originally assumed it was going to.
The highlight of it has to be the guitar work, the riffs are life-invigorating, if you don't believe me then listen to the instrumental track Nojja - they are filled with a sense of fortitude that almost give you a feeling of beatific uneasiness that never gets old as you go through the entire length, but it does not necessarily have an overwhelming incredible immersive atmosphere.
The rhythms and tempos are catchy and put you in a head-banging mood, if anything they are one aspect of this project that made me realized that this is pretty well thought-out.
All of the instrumental tracks are shorter than the songs with vocals, which I consider to be a shame because I found them to be pretty captivating and eerie like Östpeppar and Phobon Nika, they really contribute to the flow of this album.
The entire composition has some pretty damn good lyrics to offer as well; it's a concept album - so if you don't get them down the album gets drowned, it's also quite the creative concept which is elevated by both the lyrics and the mood - the lines you hear in every song also aren't predictable, thankfully;
"Thrown into the lion pit; a fight of life.
I failed you all and I am too afraid to
become a slave to the base of urges,
but a situation like this requires concessions.
I will not allow someone like you to destroy
what we have, I do not want to be like you but
I have no choice; you leave me no choice.
In my eyes, clashing views on everything I am."
After much consideration I believe that most of the songs on this album contributed in some way, although there is a fourty-second instrumental that I do not find too interesting, as well as all the tracks on the bonus editions that I would pass on.
The vocals are not as brutal as they can be and easy to get into, though they still may not be a band for absolutely everybody if you are not a fan of anything remotely djent-like.
It is a real big shame that these guys have not put out anything for a good amount of years, this band evidently has infinite potential shown throughout with some noticeable finesse - worth a listen just to see if there is something you find unexpected.
... Also, there is too many damn people contributing to this band, why is that needed and what the hell does their studio look like?!
Favourites:
Most of the tracks, vocals, production, theme, concept & lyrics
Least Favourites:
"Måsstadens Nationalsång" and the bonus tracks
AWARDS:
Daddy's Little Girl: Traces
The Son I Never Wanted: Måsstadens Nationalsång
