Released By : Mighty Music
Genre : Progressive Metalcore, Modern Metal
Links : http://www.myspace.com/scarredbybeauty
Tracklist:
01. Indika
02. Circle The Reservoir
03. We Swim
04. Oh Brother I Believe
05. Embers
06. About Words
07. Top Of The Morning
08. A Million Metaphors
09. Woman
10. Mountain
I know, I know……surely by now metalcore has been overdone and is on it’ sway out blah, blah blah…. I certainly agree with this statement myself to a degree, but every now and then a band pops up that re-invigorates my interest in the genre. There’s been hundreds of metalcore based releases in the last year or two but I think I could count the ones that I actually really enjoyed on one hand, none being more likeable than the almighty ZOMBIE e.p released by THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, which has since become my favourite release in this particular style. But, now it seems I will have to find room for one last band before the style disappears for good, and that is a new group called SCARRED BY BEAUTY.
Where this album succeeds is in the fact that the band doesn’t rest on the laurels of their peers and certainly don’t worry about sticking within the trappings of the genre. This is progressive metalcore with some standard modern metal influences and enough interesting elements to constantly amaze and excite. There’s plenty of odd time signatures, some great math metal type instrumental sections and above all else a great vocalist that can actually sing as well as having one of the meatiest metalcore screams I think I’ve ever heard. The great vocals are easier to explain when you consider the fact that this band is the new project from ex-HATESPHERE scream master Jonathan Albrechtsen. A lot of bands that try to incorporate these sort of elements into metalcore music in the past have come up short, mainly due to the fact that they are short on the skill required to pull it off, but not so with SCARRED BY BEAUTY, who on this album have shown that they are all highly talented musicians with great songwriting abilities.
There is a sticker on the cover of this album that includes a positive quote and a screaming recommendation from Mario Duplantier of GOJIRA fame and I’m inclined to agree with him too. If you are at all interested in anything to do with metalcore music, SCARRED BY BEAUTY need to be on your radar. If you are a fan of HATESPHERE following Albrechtsen across then fear not, this album is the best thing he has ever been involved with hands down. Now, for metalcore haters there’s obviously nothing I can say to convince you check this out, and that’s a real shame because you’ll be missing out on some pretty darn awesome progressive and intense music.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 8/10
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