Artist: Soilwork
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 2/19/01
|
|
Title: A Predator's Portrait Artist: Soilwork Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 2/19/01 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
3 | ||
|
5 | ||
|
5 | ||
|
|
Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Soilwork return on a new label with the follow-up to The Chainheart Machine. This new offering is much like a lot of the Swedish Metal coming out now, very polished and instrument oriented, with an obvious attempt at making songs catchy. As with many of these bands the progression seems to go towards a less aggressive and altogether cleaner sound.
"This band is taking things in a direction that I find a little disappointing." Don’t get the wrong idea, however, this album maintains the outstanding hook and groove that was evident on their last album. If you like comparisons, try this one on for size. New In Flames meets Arch Enemy. As with both of the aforementioned bands, this album combines the trademark growling vocals with a mellower clean voice in an attempt to bring a wider range of emotion. And unfortunately, in my opinion, that is the biggest flaw on this album. While I often like the addition of clean vocals, it doesn’t seem to complement this band. Rather than emotive, the clean vocal passages come across more as cheesy (in the worst cases, and in the best cases they just don’t really add all that much). The worst example is probably the title track, whereas “Needlework” is a track in which the clean vocals are relatively successful. I guess I just don’t really like his (clean) voice.
Anyway, the songwriting is quite good. The riffs are solid and can stand up with the best of them. The sound is also chunky and commanding, providing the heft that makes up for the poorer aspects of the sound. Musicians should also enjoy the more intricate bridge and solo work, where these guys prove they have chops while not sacrificing listenability. So overall I recommend this album, especially if you’re into the ever-evolving Gothenburg scene. But this band is taking things in a direction that I find a little disappointing.
Death's Review:
Nobody can claim to hear everything, but having reviewed two new metal releases almost every week since October 1999, I do feel I have a fairly decent sense of what's out there. Most of the buzz bands of the past eighteen months have found their way into my CD player for Judgment of one form or another. Somehow, however, Soilwork had up until now slipped through the cracks. And while I read Internet postings and magazine reviews singing the praises of The Chainheart Machine last year, I never took the time to study Soilwork on my own. Now I have spent some quality time with the new Soilwork album A Predator's Portrait, and I love it.
I haven't gone backward yet to hear the prior material, 'cause I'm still absolutely in love with A Predator's Portrait. This is fucking metal the way it was meant to be played. Precision musicianship. Intricate melodic passages mixed with brutally heavy and tightly executed drumming and riffing, all awash in an A+ production. The riffs burrow deep within themselves, growing more powerful and expertly engrained with each repetition. All of this is in the service of songs, some with an almost "hard rock" influence. The keys are cool too, healthy rock keys which dupe the root chord for a subtle feel rather than silly haunted-house orgrans running up and down the scales. Yes folks, there are some clean vocals (perhaps a change from prior efforts), but they sound cool and the harsher vocals sound scorchingly intense and appear quite frequently anyway. So it's all good, as they say.
"This is masterful heavy metal work."
Yes, this is another melodic death metal band from Sweden busting out with a well-produced, more mature effort on Nuclear Blast. But no, this is not In Flames part 2, as some might accuse. First off, if they sound like anyone, it's more of an Arch Enemy than an In Flames. But that isn't right either. If you haven't heard Soilwork before and want a good mental picture, here's my best effort: In Flames meets At the Gates meets Arch Enemy meets Dream Theater meets Shadows Fall meets Testament meets Slayer. Guitar solos, melodic dual-guitar lines, sick, thrashy riffs, Dream Theater - type dramatic feel, just enough commerciality balanced with just enough At the Gates -style ferocity. Killer guitar and cymbal tones painting bright aural pictures . . . And even that doesn't tell the whole story.
"Make sure all the breakable shit is tied down BEFORE you skip to track six and press play." All in all, Soilwork has delivered one of the best records I've heard so far in the still new 2001. This is masterful heavy metal work. Power metallers, thrashers, melodic death freaks: you all can find something to love about Soilwork. I strongly suggest you check this one out, if you haven't already.
PS - A word of warning . . . make sure all the breakable shit is tied down BEFORE you skip to track six and press play on the really loud stereo in the middle of the room . . .
Hel's Review:
A Predator's Portrait is just the breath of fresh air I needed right now. Sure, on a superficial level, there's an overt, immediate resemblance to In Flames, but considering they are both from the Gothenborg scene of yore, it is only reasonable that they share some characteristics. There is more than enough unique material on this record to merit distinction and accolades to call all their own.
"Throughout every aspect of this album there is an attention to detail that is rare and very welcome." The songwriting is brilliant. They combine the aforementioned Gothenborg hallmarks with a million strands of other influences (only the unusually obsessed would take the hours necessary to unravel these), and their own special flair for lyricism to create an exciting an entertaining album. The songs flow wonderfully, the musicianship is tight - the entire disc is remarkable.
I would like to note, for the record, that I have no prior work to compare this to, and in fact, this is my first exposure to Soilwork. What I found most interesting, even more than the incredible solos and outstanding riffing, were the lyrics. I rarely feel compelled to look at the lyrics, but I really wish I had to opportunity to here.
Not only do they have clever, catchy hooks you can sing/scream along to, but there is a level of storyline development to each song that is highly unusual and extremely well done. This struck me first during "Grand Failure Anthem" - "Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail!" Clever on multiple levels, showing an attention to detail I appreciate, Soilwork gains my approval as both a writer and as a metal-lover.
"The songs flow wonderfully, the musicianship is tight - the entire disc is remarkable." Throughout every aspect of this album there is an attention to detail that is rare and very welcome. The quality simply emanates from my speakers. I fully enjoyed both the clean vocals and the death vocals, as well as the variety of guitar tones, the clean production, and every other little thing that went into this adjective-worthy release. Bravo!
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.