Metal | Progressive metal | Thrash
85%
Produced by Frankie McClay at Einstein. Released on Rising Records, May 2009.
“This album is dedicated to our mothers for showing us the true meaning of strength and bravery.” — Anto and Moro
On my first listen through of this album I wasn’t overly impressed. Which is exactly why I always try to give each album at least three spins. Like walking into a darkened room and waiting for your eyes to adjust to the subtlties of light, so it can take the ears a few plays to tune in to what is really going on.
I like this album. From the off it reminded me a lot of Trivium with a large chunk of Iron Maiden-influence, which is perhaps why I didn’t take to it straight away as I’m not a huge Trivium fan.
The music is melodic, with largely clean vocals, over galloping guitar lines. There is almost a progressive element too as the songs twist and turn, build and crash.
“Perfect denial”, the album opener, starts with a few clean chords; pounding drums lead the guitars; and…. riff! “God complex” (track 3) also opens with a delicate guitar passage, that reminded me very much of God Forbid. “Art of separation” (track 5) is another slow opener. The title track “Scar obscura” (track 9) is a short, acoustic song. The remaining songs kick off as they mean to procede: hard and heavy.
The album ends with “Terminus”, an epic, nine minute track that follows a now-familiar path: start quietly, start clean and build and build.
Over the last three or four listenings I’ve developed a lot of respect for this album from Belfast metallers Sinocence.
Review score: 85%