Sardonic - Symptopmaniac …to cease the light
Musicaz Records

file under Death metal

Menno: The German label Musicaz Records has put out another debut album; this time the honour befalls Sardonic. With 'Symptopmaniac…to cease the light' they deliver their first full-length and are gaining popularity. Their formula appears to work, for they have just returned from their tour with Vader and Severe Torture, and already they are to hit European road again with Malevolent Creation and Rotten Sound. Enough reasons to give this CD a couple of spins.

The first listening session didn't impress me too much; the music wasn't very original and not brutal enough to fit my taste. However, a spin or two later I start to realize I'm growing into Sardonic's music. The production is very crisp and the songs have decent structures (something heavily underrated). Singer JoJo's screams and grunts are more than decent. Nevertheless, he makes a terrible mistake in singing clean parts. Not that he sings out of tune, it just brings down the music and in my eyes it's a failed attempt to sound catchy.

None of the songs are technical highlights; inhuman blastbeats and insane solo's are far to be seen. Instead, Sardonic uses well considered riffs and melodic guitar licks to make the songs complete and recognizable. I must say that the album starts of slowly with 'Fall of Man' (grammatical error!) and 'Terrorhead' and hell doesn't break loose before halfway though the album with the Deicide-like 'Surviving the Abortion' and the awesome 'Stalking the Dead'. With 'Dimension', the band gives proof of their easy and mellow songwriting capabilities. It's just that the song only takes a minute and easily could be seen as an intro in stead of an independent track. It's a shame this record isn't a tad more brutal, but it tends to thrash anyway. Losing them clean vocals would really put the cherry on the cake for me.


Rating: 75/100 (details)

http://www.sardonicmetal.de

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