Artist: Chain Collector
Label: Sound Riot Records
Release Date: 12/9/05
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Title: The Masquerade Artist: Chain Collector Label: Sound Riot Records Release Date: 12/9/05 |
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Abyss's Review:
The Masquerade is a textbook example of the 'supergroup' that fails to deliver. One can't really blame them, that's just the way it seems to go most of the time. I must say I'm a little disappointed that this one falls into that trap, largely because they have links to bands that have done the successful side project before (Green Carnation being the prime example).
"One word review: Mediocre." But despite sporting members that span Carpathian Forest, Green Carnation, Dismal Euphony, Apostasy and Trail Of Tears, what we are left with is generic sounding melodic metalcore that comes across as nothing more than a concerted effort to make a quick buck. I wish I could say something a little more positive than that, but that's the impression I get almost every time I press play. Perhaps I'm being a little too cynical, and their motivations are truly pure, but did they really look at the musical landscape and feel that this type of music wasn't fully represented? There doesn't seem to be any attempt to shake things up, and as a result we're left with an album that, in one form or another, we've already heard a hundred times.
Of course, the more positive stereotype of the 'supergroup' holds true as well. Meaning these projects are almost always well played and well produced. This album isn't a bad record, it just seems so damn unnecessary. I'm a big fan of the vocals of Green Carnation, but when those same vocals are heard here, they come across as less than effective. Most disappointing are the few parts when clean and harsh vocals overlap each other. I've heard this done effectively numerous times, but here the two styles don't complement each other, and it instead sounds too disjointed.
The simple fact is I won't be returning to this one much, if at all. These types of projects almost always seem to disappoint, yet I always find myself getting excited for them when I hear about them. I guess I'm just a sucker. One word review: Mediocre.
Death's Review:
Norway's Chain Collector don't really sound all that "Norwegian." Instead, they take the best of the last five years of Swedish death and melodic thrash and combine it into one band. While the whole doesn't really add all the way up to the sum of its parts in this case, The Masquerade is still a pretty cool album that sounds like In Flames, Arch Enemy, Sentenced and/or Nevermore at various points. The most noticeable aspects of the Chain Collector sound stem from the fact that the band seem to have an inclination toward more expansive songwriting than some of their fellow Euro-death progenitors (inviting the new-era In Flames comparisons, and opening up the sound to include modern Nevermore-type vocals on some of the tracks). However, the band has only been in existence since 2003, so this is to be expected, and perhaps the songwriting can evolve/improve with subsequent efforts.
"Norway's Chain Collector don't really sound all that 'Norwegian.'" Still, Chain Collector is a group full of metal veterans coming from such accomplished acts as Carpathian Forest, Green Carnation, and Trail of Tears. This professional-sounding album full of decent metal anthems is reflective of that experience, and the masses could take to this if given the current requisite "video/package tour/second video/higher profile tour" U.S. marketing treatment (and all of the interviews and press appearances that inevitably go with it). Without this, I suspect this album will find its way to the solid middle of the current wave of releases - decent enough to get some attention, but not special enough to rise above the din.
Hel's Review:
Back in 2004, this band's demo, Forthcoming Addiction, came across my desk and I fell in love with it. I was so excited for them to put out a full length. Finally, over a year later, I got that full length in the mail. I was tickled that Sound Riot picked up this band and I couldn't wait to hear what they came up with.
"A good album and absolutely worth checking out." Well, it turns out that all four songs on that demo are included on this disc. A reasonable decision, to be sure, but I was still disappointed to find that instead of 10 brand new songs, there were only 6. I was further disappointed to note that the level of heaviness I had hoped for from this album never fully materialized. You see, Chain Collector is a collection of musicians from Green Carnation, Trail of Tears, Carpathian Forest, and Apostasy, amongst others, and this line up, had lead me to hope for something pretty heavy. The demo seemed headed in the right direction, but the overall vibe from this collection of songs fell short of my expectations.
Maybe it had something to do with the change in the vocal line up? The vocals on the demo were entirely performed by one guy (who on this record is credited for only clean vocals), and this release credits a new guy with growling. The reason is presumably so that the overlapping styles can be performed simultaneously live, which is actually an admirable sentiment. I just liked the other guy better, I guess.
Still, it is a good album and absolutely worth checking out. If your decision to do so is based only on the side-project novelty, then by all means – I think you’ll find yourself staying for the catchy riffs and melodies.
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