Metal | Progressive metal | Thrash
85%
Sinocence—Scar Obscura (2009)
Details
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
Band
- Moro—Vocals and guitars
- Anto—Guitars
- Jim—Bass
- Davy—Drums
Tracks
- Perfect denial
- Metalbox
- God complex
- Ultraviolent
- Art of separation
- Evicerate
- Rule as one
- All new revenge
- Scar obscura
- Terminus
Review
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.
Conclusion
Over the last three or four listenings I’ve developed a lot of respect for this album from Belfast metallers Sinocence.
Review score: 85%