Scar Symmetry: Holographic Universe

Submitted by digitalruin on Sun, 06/22/2008 - 23:48

Tagged:

Music

Blasting it's way to your door, Scar Symmetry's third album Holographic Universe dropped on June 20th, and so far I haven't been able to turn it off. Following up on two already impressive albums, I was really hoping for something special, and for the most part they delivered. Unlike recent Soilwork albums, which is a sad rant for another day, this Swedish melodic death metal group can actually sing, shred, and growl, all while maintaining their core sound. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the title, but who really cares if the music is good, and this album delivers a solid set of twelve tracks with an awesome sixty minute running time.

Overall, the album is immediately catchy and hooks you hard. It's less aggressive than their older releases which gives me some mixed feelings, but I think they pull of this new refined sound well. Unlike past moments of brutal thrash, peppered with melodic highlights (a la Opeth) Holographic Universe focuses on melody and accents it with specific trash and growl moments.

To some I'm sure Scar Symmetry's latest release is a "sell out" or "boring nu-metal", but I disagree. I'm sick of pointless riffing and screaming with no sense of purpose or even recognizable melodies. This album gives you some very kick ass moments that you can head bang and sing too alike. Yes, there are some misguided tracks where the song almost makes me think they're trying to hard to get radio play, but then all is forgotten when I fine myself whacking the steering wheel with my forehead.

This new sound is very reminiscent of older moments like "Mind Machine" off of Pitch Black Progress--kicking some fucking ass and then harmonizing a ridiculously catchy chorus. Whatever your preference, the sound production here is top notch. Cranked as high as it'll go in my car I felt like I was live and in concert rather than in the basement of mom's garage.

This is the point that Soilwork should aspire to be at; a modern sound that is both technical and heavy, yet has some very well written and beautiful moments. I guess this is why Scar Symmetry hasn't seen almost every original member walk off the project while the music gets worse and worse in the process

If you're a fan of Swedish melodic death, definitely pick up a copy of Holographic Universe, or at least take a listen to it over here.

Comments

I thought this was boring as

Submitted by Galic (not verified) on Mon, 07/07/2008 - 15:14.

I thought this was boring as shit :)

too catchy, too simplistic and the production is too pop sounding.

These guy all play great, and the singer is great, but for some reason I really have never been able to get into them fully.

I think the one before this Pitch Black Progress was it? is very good and this is the same thing rehashed, only more simplistic and to the point.

I've lost interest in most bands of this genre, In Flames, Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, Mnemic etc.

However, one band in this style that is my ultimate guilty pleasure is a band from Denmark called Raunchy.

They play this same style of music, swedish influenced modern metal with keyboards, half/half scream/clean singing - but there is something about them that is infinitely more endearing than all the other bands.

Their first album Velvet Noise is forgettable, but the second Confusion Bay is a classic. All out melodic metal ala newer In Flames, but with a really original sounding vocalist and songs about drinking and fucking chicks.

when it came out it was a total party record for me and my friends.
"I've got love for them all...the little ones, fat ones and the tall" states the chorus for the title track. Does it get any better than that?

The original singer left after this album, but the next two are just as good.

They lyrics are not as funny anymore, but the songwriting is better and catchier than ever. The next album, appropriately titled "Death Pop Romance" has nothing but bangers, every song is a radio hit. It's like listening to a metalized version of 30 Seconds to Mars.

The new one "Wasteland Discoteque" is excellent as well, especially the awesome cover of Rockwell's "Somebody's watching Me."

Raunchy to me, is the biggest mistake Nuclear Blast ever made.

At the same time they had Raunchy and Mnemic coming out of Denmark. They put all their money and tour support into Menmic. Mnemic's last album was a disaster that cost a shitload and the band has always been a band that has 3-4 good songs on an album and is nothing to write home about.

Raunchy had and has that originality of funny/party lyrics, they play great, the write great songs, and they had a great not-so-metal look, looking more like an indie rock band than metalheads, which could have capitalized on as well at the time.

I'll feel stupid for writing all this if you already know about these guys though. :)

Fuck no! I'm glad you posted

Submitted by digitalruin on Mon, 07/07/2008 - 16:39.

Fuck no! I'm glad you posted that. I only hear what shows up on random review sites and friend's mp3 players these days. I'm definitely going to check them out now. See, I thought Pitch Black Progress had decent production and really good songs, where as the new one has awesome production and decent songs. Taking the album as a whole it felt a lot more catchy to me than the last album, which wasn't necessarily my favorite aspect, but I'm a sucker for dead on production.

Most of the stuff in my collection has really been getting tired these days... I need a new influx of some good shit. Feel free to send more my way. Hell, if you want I'll give you an account and you can post all the music reviews you want. :)