Soilwork - Figure Number Five
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Free Music Notes for Figure Number Five
Free Music Review: Soilwork shows why they continue to be a defining band...
Hit: 5 Stars
Soilwork has become one of the top European metal bands in the last few years, and Figure Number Five shows why. It is an album that shows a cohesive unit turning out solid pieces. While more melodic than their first four releases, it still retains the heaviness. The rhythm section is near flawless, especially Ranta's drumming, while the melodic section, keyboard and guitar, churn out a melody that is not overbearing but still clearly defined. The vocals have gotten better, with Strid seemingly have developed a greater range since NBC. Some of the key cuts to look at on this album is the title track, the opening track "Rejection Role", "Brickwalker" and "Cranking the Sirens". The first two lean towards the heavier end of the album, while the last two lean more towards the style shown on NBC's "As We Speak," which is a song that really helped the band to make a big break.And if you can, catch these guys live... it's an awesome show.
Free Music Review: "Older vs. newer stuff"--who cares? *This* stuff ROCKS!
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm the type of person who listens to what they like. If it sucks, I don't listen to it. Because of this, I can get very specific when it comes to bands that suck; I love good music. And good music to me has generally been hard rock, and more specifically, metal. It is within this genre that I enjoy everything from the royal and classic metal of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden to the (I admit) simple and overpracticed "numetal" that dominates radio and TV. However formulaic or progressive some artist may be, I will listen to it if I like it. It is because of this that I often interact with large variations of people from different musical backgrounds. So if a band purportedly had been in their prime with "their older stuff," perhaps this is a false accusation. I try to avoid joining the endless people that point disapproving fingers at their supposedly "favorite" bands and accuse that "their older stuff is better." Oh brother, get a life already!Well, Soilwork is one such band; many claim "their older stuff" was great and now they've sold out; others say that their older stuff was too formulaic, too similar to other Swedish hardcore metal bands. I've been a fan of them for only a few months now, ever since I picked up a copy of NATURAL BORN CHAOS (review to come!). And today, I have picked up a copy of their latest, FIGURE NUMBER FIVE. (...)
What we have here is a heavy, muscle-bound chunk of pure metal massacre. This six-piece band hailing from Sweden features lead and rhythm guitarists Peter Wiches and Ola Frenning, bassist Ola Fink, vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid, drummer Henry Ranta, and keyboardist (and there's not too many of them in metal bands, un/fortunately) Sven Karlsson. This is something of a supergroup here; not a supergroup in the usual terms of members of various famous bands getting together for a separate project, but six guys who are just so damn good at their musical talents that they are...well, you get it. They can be brutally heavy and loud like Swedish metal is known for, but then they have a surprising sense of melody that I will get more into later.
Strid can unleash an onslaught of guttural howls and snarls that may turn many a Pantera fan's head, and just as suddenly sing with a good (but perhaps not GREAT) voice. Wiches and Frenning have mindblowing speed and skills on their strings, alternating the soloing duties and thus showing off their talent. Fink as a bassist...mm, hard to tell how good he is. He generally follows the rhythm, but good production shows they HAVE a bassist...I'd just like to hear some more solos or thrumming. Sven Karlsson uses less keyboards than he did on NATURAL BORN CHAOS, but nonetheless, he is present enough on this record to add to the melody and make the band all the more amazing. And then there is Ranta on drums...oh my God. He unfortunately left the band this past month because of focusing too much on being in the band and less on his life, and he will be missed. His speed, skill, complexity, all so luscious...one hell of a powerful drummer.
The whole album is so well-performed, picking a favorite track would prove to be very difficult. The lyrics, especially in the choruses, are catchy, and each song presents a wholly unique sound of their own. Perhaps if I had to pick only one as a favorite, it would have to be "Departure Plan." This is a slower-paced piece, something of a power ballad, featuring acoustic guitars and clean vocals reminiscent of one of my favorite bands, and strangely enough, another melodic hardcore Swedish band: Opeth. But back to the song, it starts off with chunky layers of guitar riffs and icy keyboards that build up to...a suddenly quiet, melodic, beautiful concerto of acoustic guitar inlays and clean vocals over a mild beat. The chorus is epic-feeling, almost uplifting, somewhat melancholy...oh wow, what a song!
I think that if I haven't bored you to death by now with this review, you might actually be interested in getting this album. Go on...go get it. It's one of the best releases of the year, no doubt. I love it, and you hopefully will too--older stuff being better or not.
Free Music Review: The Best of Soilwork
Hit: 5 Stars
I, personally, think that this is the best Soilwork CD so far. It has a mix of clean and screaming vocals, the songs are shorter and more enjoyable to listen to, and they are starting to sound like a straight up heavy rock band. Their old stiff was ok, but the screaming sounded like the singer was going to rip open is vocal cords. The screaming in Figure Number Five accually sounds good. All of you hardcore Soilwork fans think that the old stuff was better and heavier, but I think Figure Number Five is WAY better and heavier. Here's something I'd like all you hardcore Soilwork fans to know: Soilwork was featured in Guitar One magazine recently, and the only reaon they did is because of their new CD and how GOOD it is. So buy this CD, like it, and get over their old stuff, because it stinks. Just kidding. It's ok.Free Music Review: The best CD since Natural Born Chaos
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the best soilwork CD. even though the screaming in the old ones were pretty cool, the melodies are cooler. the fast paced stuff is also pretty cool in the old ones, but it seems like they didn't spend as much time than in the last 2. this CD is fricken sicko compared to the rest and i dont give a sh** what anyone says.Free Music Review: Great stuff
Hit: 4 Stars
Soilwork comes back strong. I absolutly love soilworks style of music, melodic hardcore, and everything elce that defines sweedish metal. This record dosnt quite match up to natural born chaos, but cirtainly delivers. metal metal metal \m/