Great follow up to Antares!
Steve L. | New York | 12/02/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Here we are nearing the end of 2009, and Sybreed has released their third album "The Pulse of Awakening." I could ramble for some time about how great this album is for...awhile...but instead, I'll try to make some quick observances and provide a brief rundown of each track.
"The Pulse of Awakening" is quite an exceptional album and that's because it has to be. Afterall, it's following up the previous effort "Antares", which to many is considered a masterpiece. My point being, though, is that there's a lot to live up to and it would be easy for most bands to drop the ball. This is not the case, luckily. In my opinion, "The Pulse of Awakening" is a very experimental album on several fronts. By experimental, I'd like to note that I mean it is experimental for Sybreed more than for the genre.
Within the first few seconds of the album, you are greeted by what is continuous throughout the whole cd - a high level of polish. Sybreed's first outing "Slave Design" was the grittiest of the three, with "Antares" bringing a lot of polish to the sound. But take the polish of "Antares" and multiply that by 5 (if such things could be quantified!)...you'll have a good idea of what to expect. Next, the vocal work of "The Pulse of Awakening" deserves praise. Instead of being content to do what was done before, vocalist Ben has brought a much more natural clean voice to the songs. Not only do the cleans sound different this time around, there are a lot more clean vocals present in the tracks overall. In fact, 4 of the songs present are entirely clean vocals, using some effects here and there in lieu of growls. I'm sure some people will complain that growls have taken a sort of backseat to cleans, but the end product completely justifies the creative move. I, personally, wish that the blend of clean singing and growls was more balanced like in "Antares", but I can certainly appreciate the new style. Lastly, another first for Sybreed is the inclusion of a cover, but I'll get to that later.
Instrumentally, guitarist Drop continues to wow with his riff composition. His riffs are so amazingly catchy and well composed; you'd think the guy would have run out of ideas by now! But such is not the case and that's a good thing! For drums, there was some worry that Kevin wouldn't be able to keep up with the work that guest drummer Dirk Verbeuren did in "Antares" while Sybreed had no official drummer. Without skipping a beat, Kevin jumps right in and continues the style of drums best suited for Sybreed...fast, pummeling, and technical. As a continuation of Ben's work, lastly come the lyrics of the album. I'm not much of an analyst when it comes to lyrics, and I'd never want to pigeonhole Ben's meanings with any crap interpretation of mine. I'll just say that anyone already familiar with Sybreed knows what to expect - Ben writes very poetic lyrics. Check out lyrics elsewhere and see for yourselves!
On to the songs!
Nomenklatura (5/5): What a fantastic way to kick start the album! The song starts with an incredibly groovy riff and continues through the whole track. (Growls/Cleans)
A.E.O.N. (5/5): A heavy riff starts the track off and is unrelenting for the duration. An interlude provides some nice clean guitar for a short time, before finishing the song with the same heaviness. Quick favorite! (Growls/Cleans)
Doomsday Party (5/5): Another early favorite, "Doomsday Party" is catchy and rhythmic from start to finish! It's one of the standouts on "The Pulse of Awakening" because it has a very different feel compared to any other song previously done. It's hard to explain...just one of those things you have to hear to understand! (Some growls/Mostly cleans)
Human Black Box (5/5): Honestly, I wasn't sold on this track for some time after hearing it. It's what I would consider a sleeper...something that takes time to really get into. It didn't take too long though! "Human Black Box" is one of the more brutal tracks on the album, but still retains a lot catchiness. (Growls/Cleans)
Kill Joy (5/5): Without trying at all (because the guys of Sybreed said they'd never do this), they've managed to create probably the most accessible, "mainstream" if you will, song in their library. No complaints from me though, because "Kill Joy" is still Sybreed through and through! (Cleans)
I am Ultraviolence (5/5): As a following to the "most mainstream" track Sybreed has written, we are treated to the most brutal song created by them - both lyrically and instrumentally. Lines like "drenched in blood, I rejoice" and "I can't help thinking with a grin of your spine smashed under my feet" are a testament to this. I would argue some of Ben's best screams are in this song. (Mostly growls/Some cleans)
Electronegative (5/5): Words cannot describe how absolutely amazing this song is. Not to sound like a broken record, but the riffing and drumming is so heavy, yet catchy. Just wait for the chorus to kick in and be astounded. Another solid standout on the album, and an easy fan favorite - many say it's the best song on "The Pulse of Awakening". If you only listen to one song on this album, make it this one. (Growls/Cleans)
In the Cold Light (5/5): A slow song, "In the Cold Light" is a different beast from anything else Sybreed has done. Synths and Ben's voice really carry the song. Included is a new vocal effect not used previously by Ben...something I don't really know how to accurately describe. When you hear it, you'll know what it is for sure. Distorted, slow, guitar work come into play towards the end of the song, which is quick. Lasting only 3 minutes and 15 seconds, "In the Cold Light" will be over before you know it. (Cleans)
Lucifer Effect (5/5): Another quick fan favorite! An epic orchestral arrangement leads into a nice heavy riff. Best Sybreed intro? You be the judge! I don't have much else to say that wouldn't apply to any other track though. (Growls/Cleans)
Love Like Blood (5/5): Sybreed's first cover...and wow...what a save! Anytime I hear a band is releasing a cover as a part of a new album, it makes me nervous. Covers tend to be weak, and this one (done originally by Killing Joke) could have potentially really sucked. This is obviously not the case since I rated it 5/5. Sybreed does a very good job of not only making someone else's song better, but doing it in their own way, retaining the Sybreed sound. (Cleans)
Meridian A.D. (4/5): This is really the only point where "The Pulse of Awakening" falls short for me. Don't get me wrong, "Meridian A.D." is a good song. It just seems to break the momentum a bit. I'm only now (well over a month after hearing the album) getting into the track to really appreciate it. As a cool tidbit though, people who like the church bells from "Isolate" on "Antares" will be pleasantly surprised! (Growls/Cleans)
From Zero to Nothing (5/5): Taking a nod from the ender to "Antares", "From Zero to Nothing" is very similar to "Ethernity." Clean vocals the whole way through, slowish, nice picking guitar parts, and very atmospheric! Great end to a great album! (Cleans)
So in the end, "The Pulse of Awakening" finds itself behind "Antares," but tied with "Slave Design." It's hard to rank music that is pretty equally great, but there were a few minor things that kept me from loving this new effort more than "Antares." My complaints are very minimal, however. 1) Even though I love the new vocal work, I wish that the blend of cleans and growls were a bit more evenly distributed. 2) "In the Cold Light" is too short! 3) "Meridian A.D. is a good track that manages to fall behind the rest. It's something that would really kill the momentum of the album if it were in the middle, but since it's at the end, it's less of an issue.
Don't hesitate to buy this album whether you are a hardcore Sybreed fan or a newbie! And if by chance you aren't familiar with Sybreed, definitely snag all three albums!
"
Phenomenal album.
Hugo Frazao | Brazil | 12/03/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a huge fan of Sybreed so I've been waiting for this album for quite a while. Antares was a masterpiece of heavy music imo so I thought chances were the new album wouldn't be as good. How wrong I was! Somehow these guys from Switzerland have managed to create an even better gem. Like the previous reviewer stated, the level of polish here is absolutely amazing, you can really tell they did it with passion. This band is creating music that is way better and original than 99.99% of current bands. You really have to listen to it to understand what I'm trying to say, words don't do justice. Lastly, be sure to BUY this album, Sybreed is a band that truly deserves support."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1