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SOULGATE’S DAWN – Stardust |
Circulation Records | |
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Posted: 2/28/05Reviewed by: Steve Gottlieb Category: Metalcore Released: 2004 Label URL: www.circulationrecords.com Artist URL: www.soulgate666.com | |
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Stardust is the debut album from this 5-piece German metalcore outfit, which has just enough influence from melodic Scandinavian death metal as to make it somewhat interesting. The musicanship of the band is solid, if somewhat limited. The riffs of Uwe and Rainer are plentiful, and although they’re somewhat one-dimensional, the references to the Scandinavian sound, in particular the first two Soilwork albums, breathe some life into the songs. “Rent A Life” and “Past Agreements” feature what are arguably the best riffs, although by album’s end you’ll feel that the sounds are being recycled. The band’s inexperience is most readily apparent in the lack of solos, which makes the album a deterrent to a more traditional listener. That, and the vocals. Vocalist John has a hearty set of lungs, to say the least, although I wouldn’t necessarily want to be subjected to them on a regular basis. From a metacore standpoint, the vocals are just right. The angered screaming is very powerful, and masks any hint of John’s Teutonic accent. From a more traditional standpoint, however, these are very extreme vocals and will turn off all but the staunchest and hardiest of listeners. There are a few clean vocal sections, but nowhere near enough to enable the listener to enjoy the songs. I think if the vocals were tempered a bit, or more clean vocals were added, I would have appreciated the music a little more.
The Bloody Truth: This is metacore with a strong influence from the melodic Scandinavian death metal sound, and while the riffs are enjoyable, the vocals are not. If extreme vocals of any kind are not your thing, this is not the album for you. If, however, two of your favorite bands are Vision of Disorder and Soilwork, this may become your new favorite.
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