Album Review: "The Unseen Empire" by Scar Symmetry

When a band experiences any significant membership change, they usually get a one-album grace period, during which they are afforded a chance to work out any issues resulting from the change. After that grace period ends, if the band cannot hold the interest of their established fans, then those fans usually abandon the band. This is especially true with vocalist changes, since many vocalists are the most recognizable members of their respective bands.

This is the reality that has faced Scar Symmetry since 2008. After releasing their 2008 masterpiece Holographic Universe, lead vocalist Christian Älvestam abruptly left the band, causing a massive backlash among fans. Many critics regard Älvestam as one of the best vocalists in all of modern metal, and rightly so. His guttural roars and screams are the antithesis of the beautiful melodies he sings, and very few singers are capable of reproducing his vocal performances. Perhaps the greatest indicator of his talent, though, is the fact that Scar Symmetry needed two singers to replace one.

Roberth Karlsson and Lars Palmqvist had some humongous shoes to fill when they stepped into the roles of co-lead vocalists for Scar Symmetry. Karlsson had little experience in such a vital position (as the brief frontman for Edge of Sanity in the late '90s), while Palmqvist had never before been in a band with any degree of prominence. Their performance on 2009's Dark Matter Dimensions convinced many fans that Scar Symmetry was still in good shape, but many others remained skeptical, calling for Älvestam's return. And now that the one-album grace period has passed, fans will judge Karlsson and Palmqvist even more harshly than before.

Album Review: "For Aeons Past" by Solution .45

Christian Älvestam is a master when it comes to being involved in multiple projects. Even before his departure from Scar Symmetry in 2008, Älvestam was already part of three other projects with multi-instrumentalist Jani Stefanović (known throughout the worldwide Christian metal scene for his work in DivineFire, Essence of Sorrow, and several other bands spanning multiple genres). These bands would become Älvestam's primary focus after his break from Scar Symmetry. Death metal act Miseration successfully released their sophomore effort The Mirroring Shadow on Lifeforce Records in 2009, and melodic death/folk metal band The Few Against Many put out their debut album Sot on Pulverised Records that same year. 2010 sees the third Älvestam/Stefanović collaboration, Solution .45, finally release their debut album three years after forming. For Aeons Past is a superb album that showcases multiple facets of the pair's musical influences.

The Top 10 Artists of the Decade

So everyone is going nuts about the decade coming to a close and making all their lists of favorite things of the decade. Am I the only one who knows that the new decade didn't technically start until 2001? New decades, centuries, etc. start on the year ending in 1, not 0.

However, since I'm not going to be a total buzzkill, I will indeed make my end-of-decade lists now. I cannot restrict myself to just 10 albums for defining the whole decade, so I'm going to start with 10 artists who made this decade amazing. But first, as I always do, the Honorable Mentions! Here are 10 bands, in no particular order, who had really great decades, as well as my favorite albums by them and why they didn't crack the top 10.

-Parkway Drive - These Aussies have done more to advance metalcore than most bands could ever dream of doing. They barely miss the top 10 because they are so young and they only had two big releases. If they can keep this trend going, though, count on them to deliver hugely in the next five years.
Albums to check out: Killing With a Smile, Horizons

-Soulfly - Soulfly started out the decade with the two weakest releases of their career, Primitive and 3. They got much better with the following three albums, but the stigma of the first two remains. I hope Max Cavalera can stick to his current trends on upcoming albums.
Albums to check out: Dark Ages, Conquer

-Slipknot - Starting off the decade in fine fashion with Iowa, Slipknot went all over the map after that. Their three releases this decade were all good, but their lack of consistency plagues them. Sadly, that's only likely to continue in the future.
Albums to check out: Iowa, All Hope is Gone

-Soilwork - Soilwork definitely set the bar high this decade, with six excellent releases. My only gripe is that the music they put out changed every time their lineup did, which was often. Soilwork couldn't keep a consistent lineup for more than two years at a time this decade. They need to have their style nailed down in lieu of future membership changes.
Albums to check out: A Predator's Portrait, Natural Born Chaos

-Demon Hunter - Yeah, you all expected these guys to make my top 10. Well, I won't deny that Demon Hunter is an excellent band with four great releases this decade. I will, however, say that their lack of touring is the one thing holding them back a lot. I understand that Ryan and Don Clark had a major creative studio to run, but managing only one tour a year (and sometimes not even that) is hard on the fans.
Albums to check out: Summer of Darkness, Storm the Gates of Hell

-Dark Tranquillity - At this point in time, Dark Tranquillity are undoubtedly the best Gothenburg band of the original group of innovators. However, only one of their four albums this decade displayed much growth. While they were all solid releases, a little more innovation would have been nice. I'd love to see them do that in the future.
Albums to check out: Character, Fiction

-DevilDriver - A band that rose from the ashes of nu-metal's wasteland and destroyed all memory of the much-maligned genre for many. DevilDriver is definitely a great band, there's no denying that. There are just others that did more for the genre than they did.
Albums to check out: The Fury of Our Maker's Hand, Pray for Villains

-Tool - Once you all stop screaming at your computer screens, think about this logically for a minute. Two albums in ten years? From one of the biggest rock bands in the world? Tool is definitely a one-of-a-kind band, but they can't just release albums when they feel like it and expect to remain relevant.
Albums to check out: Lateralus, 10,000 Days

-Dimmu Borgir - Without these guys, symphonic black metal would be nowhere near as popular or relevant as it is right now. My sole complaint with Dimmu Borgir stems from the iron hand with which Shagrath and Silenoz rule that band. Shuffling drummers all decade like playing cards, followed by kicking out two of the most important members of the band's creative and musical landscape, does not sit well with me.
Albums to check out: Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, In Sorte Diaboli

-Between the Buried and Me - It took these kids the better part of the decade to find their direction, but when they did, they turned out some of the best material of any progressive metal band in years. Expect great things from BTBAM in the future.
Albums to check out: Colors, The Great Misdirect


And with that, I now give you my Top 10 Bands of the Decade!

10. Amon Amarth



Being the best at what you do isn't always the easiest position to be in. However, Amon Amarth have been at the top of the Viking metal genre since they first formed, and they stay in that spot with comfort and ease. The past decade has been particularly good for them, as they only got better with time. No matter what they do musically, Amon Amarth seem to do it well, and no one can take that away from them.

Albums to check out: Versus the World, With Oden on Our Side, Twilight of the Thunder God

9. Iron Maiden



With the exception of Judas Priest, no band has maintained relevance in heavy metal like Iron Maiden. And all it took to revitalize their career this decade was bringing back Bruce Dickinson. Their releases now sound just as fresh and powerful as their earliest material, and even with most members approaching the legal age of retirement, the band shows no signs of slowing down. The most influential band in metal history will not go away, and all metal fans can rejoice in that fact.

Albums to check out: Brave New World, Dance of Death, A Matter of Life and Death

8. Unearth




Unearth are the unsung heroes of the Massachusetts metalcore scene. While Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and All That Remains have made more prominent moves and caused bigger waves at various times, Unearth have consistently delivered solid metal releases and crushing live performances. What's more, they have done that while dealing with almost non-stop adversity and struggle. Their music has the technicality and brutality to stand beside some of the heaviest death metal bands out today, and they still attain catchiness and melody with ease. Unearth are, to borrow one of their song titles, unstoppable.

Albums to check out: The Oncoming Storm, III: In the Eyes of Fire, The March

7. Machine Head



Machine Head are undoubtedly the comeback story of the decade. After being dropped by the label that had signed them at the start of their career and facing a near break-up, Machine Head came back and delivered two albums that will define metal for years to come. Through the Ashes of Empires and The Blackening are epics on the grandest scale, and thrash will be forever changed by these releases. In all honesty, Machine Head have never released a bad album, but these two albums are essential to anyone who calls themselves a metal fan.

Albums to check out: Supercharger, Through the Ashes of Empires, The Blackening

6. Scar Symmetry




Dragging a dying subgenre back from the brink is usually impossible. But Scar Symmetry did it. Through three amazing releases with one of the best singers ever to come out of Europe, Christian Älvestam, Scar Symmetry reinvented Gothenburg metal and made it something entirely new. And even after Älvestam's firing in 2008, Scar Symmetry were still able to release another amazing album in 2009 with two new singers. The new brand of melodic death metal is here, and the scene is forever changed.

Albums to check out: Pitch Black Progress, Holographic Universe, Dark Matter Dimensions

5. Cradle of Filth




Even after endless criticism for their entire career, Cradle of Filth have never stopped doing what they do best: creating music that is downright evil. This decade has shown that Cradle of Filth have the staying power of legends. They craft and mold the entire black metal scene at their will, and no matter how many other bands attempt to take the throne from them, Cradle of Filth will always be the kings of black metal.

Albums to check out: Damnation and a Day, Nymphetamine, Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder

4. Disturbed



No band has done more for hard rock than Disturbed. From The Sickness all the way to Indestructible, the entire hard rock genre has been revolutionized by this band. David Draiman's harsh vocals and the band's unrelenting musical onslaught are completely unique, and no band will ever be able to replicate their formula for success. Every hard rock band that is popular right now owes a debt of gratitude to Disturbed for making this genre so powerful and diverse.

Albums to check out: The Sickness, Ten Thousand Fists, Indestructible

3. Lamb of God



The spirit of metal lives in Lamb of God. Five hicks from Virginia playing the most assaultive brand of music heard in years? There is pretty much nothing more metal than that. And when you add in their unrelenting lyrical content that stirs the heart of rebellion in everyone, you get a titanic force of music that can't be denied, ignored, or stopped in any way. Lamb of God is the very essence of metal.

Albums to check out: As the Palaces Burn, Ashes of the Wake, Wrath

2. Opeth



Opeth is genius put to music. What else can you call it? There is no other band that has the level of skill and creativity that they do in the progressive metal genre. You won't find such dedication to craftsmanship anywhere else either. Opeth don't write music, they sculpt it. They paint it. Their artistry is immeasurable. And the creations are only getting more beautiful as time goes on.

Albums to check out: Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, Watershed

1. Killswitch Engage




What do you do after you've created an album that defines an entire genre? Well, if you're Killswitch Engage, you create another one, except under the forced conditions of a different singer and drummer. And then you do it a third time, distilling the genre to its very essence while simultaneously expanding its boundaries beyond all previous limits. Killswitch Engage have made the metalcore genre into the beast that it is today. And in doing so, they have made metal into a viable genre that cannot be ignored by the public anymore.

Albums to check out: Alive or Just Breathing, The End of Heartache, As Daylight Dies


Okay, that settles that! Next we will move on to my favorite albums of the decade. That will be a very long countdown, I promise you that. Be ready!

Losing the Essentials

I want to comment on two instances where essential parts of a working body were cut off and why that irritates me to no end.

The Philadelphia Eagles

Recently, the Eagles have let one of their most important players, Brian Dawkins, go to another team. Additionally, several other veteran members of the team have moved on to other teams in the other three weeks. The veterans in new uniforms next year include Tra Thomas, Lito Sheppard, Correll Buckhalter, Greg Lewis, and Sean Considine. Also, two other key team members - Jon Runyan and L.J. Smith - remain on free agency with no information on possible deals currently known.

Dawkins and Buckhalter are now members of the Denver Broncos. Thomas and Considine have been signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sheppard is on the New York Jets. Lewis joins the New England Patriots.

The loss of Dawkins is not only a huge blow to the morale of the team and the fans, but is also a travesty on the part of the Eagles' front office. After 13 seasons with the team, Brian Dawkins has become one of the faces of the organization. His aggressive style of play and his dedication to the game are unparalleled, and the leadership he offers within the locker room and on the field are an integral part of the Eagles' defense. Dawkins expressed multiple times that he wanted to stay with the Eagles until the end of his career, and if he had, his number would have been hung from the rafters within five years of his retirement. The only other player in Eagles history to make such a strong impact on the team was Reggie White.

The parallels between White and Dawkins - especially in the way they left the team - are easily recognized. Both White and Dawkins were faces of the organization during their time with the team. Both players were selected to the Pro Bowl multiple times during their years with the team. Both players left the team as free agents despite the fact that the team had the ability and the reasons to re-sign them. And the comparisons will more than likely continue, because barring a serious injury, Dawkins will continue to be a prolific and outstanding defensive player for the Broncos, just as White was for the Green Bay Packers.

The loss of Dawkins, along with the other veteran members of the organization, shows the truth about what the front office is trying to do with this team. They are throwing in their chips and counting on Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook to lead the team to victory, despite the fact that the Eagles' defense is their most feared weapon and often has been the key to victory for them. Furthermore, it shows that they continue to value youth over experience in every area of the team except at the quarterback position. Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, Andy Reid, and the team's executives ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Brian Dawkins, you will forever be an Eagle in my heart. Long live Weapon X.

Metal Bands Cutting Frontmen

Two of my favorite bands recently fired their lead singers for different reasons. The singers fired were basically the reason that each band rose to prominence and helped to make the band as popular as they were.

Scar Symmetry announced in 2008 that lead singer Christian Älvestam was leaving the band over "creative differences" and an inability to tour. However, common speculation is that Christian was kicked out of the band. Much of this speculation comes from the statement that the band released, which made it appear that Christian was at fault for the band's lack of touring. The band has since hired two new singers, Roberth Karlsson and Lars Palmqvist, to take over the vocal duties.

The fact that Scar Symmetry had to hire two singers to replace one should show you the caliber of vocalist that Christian was. He is, in my opinion, the best singer to come out of Sweden in the past 20 years. His vocal style is inimitable, and the dominance of his delivery is overpowering. While some speculate that his touring difficulties stem from an inabilty to recreate his singing style on stage, it still remains true that Scar Symmetry's recorded material is original, refreshing, and undeniably metal. I don't believe that kicking Christian out was the right decision at all. Their latest album, Holographic Universe, had them on the brink of breaking out in a huge way. If a compromise could have been reached on touring, the band could have become the new face of Swedish melodic death metal. Instead, they're stuck recreating themselves right now and have to wait even longer to tour. I don't know that Scar Symmetry will ever be the same for me without Christian.

On a similar note, Norther frontman Petri Lindroos was asked to leave the band because of his commitment to Ensiferum and his inability to equally divide his time between the bands. Norther currently does not have a frontman, and Ensiferum has recently been confirmed for the North American Summer Slaughter tour with Necrophagist, Suffocation, and many others.

Petri was one of the founding members of Norther, and his desire to be part of both bands is understood. However, Norther was wrong to kick him out of the band. First of all, there are no longer any founding members of the band left, which means that the name Norther no longer really applies to the band. Second, Petri's voice and guitar skills are two of the defining characteristics of the band, and finding a lead singer who can also play guitar as well as him will be next to impossible. Third, the band had no reason to kick him out because they don't tour regularly, unlike Ensiferum, and thus did not require as much of Petri's time. They should have tried to discuss dividing his time more evenly instead of just kicking him out unceremoniously.


Okay, that's it for this rant. Thank you for reading.

Complete Amazement

Have any of you ever listened to an album from start to finish, and then listened to it again just because it was so amazing that you needed a second listen just to comprehend it all? I'm sure that there are a few albums that have affected you in some sort of similar fashion. I usually encounter an album like that every few years. The last one was Storm the Gates of Hell by Demon Hunter. After that album arrived last fall, I didn't expect another album to come along and stun me like that for a long time.

Well, I was wrong, it seems.

When I first put Holographic Universe by Scar Symmetry into my stereo, I was expecting a really good album. What I got was the best melodic death metal album I have heard since In Flames' Colony. I was, to put it frankly, blown away by the caliber of this album. Every single song, from "Morphogenesis" all the way to "Ghost Prototype II (Deus Ex Machina)," is pure, 100% quality. Not one song disappoints in any way.

The key to this album, in my opinion, is the new ground Scar Symmetry covers with their music. The melodies soar even higher, the solos shred more, and the symphonic elements are much more pronounced. In terms of musical evolution, Holographic Universe surpasses Scar Symmetry's previous two albums, Pitch Black Progress and Symmetric in Design, by a huge margin. This is a band that has perfected its sound to the greatest possible degree.

Any fan of melodic death metal needs to go get Holographic Universe by Scar Symmetry right now. You will not be disappointed, I guarantee you.