SYMPATHY FOR NOTHING – A Taste Of Light

Terrasound Records

This album is a real conundrum on a number of levels. Austrian band Sympathy For Nothing have come up with a platter that aims to fuse metalcore with melodic rock. Top marks for ambition and willingness to push boundaries, but in the final analysis they haven’t quite pulled it off.

On one hand, the deep and busy riffing of tracks like ‘In2Pieces’ and ‘One Step Too Far’ lay solid, often intricate metal-influenced grooves. On the other, the mostly high register and melodic, verging on poppy vocals of Richard Thallinger float over the top, seemingly disconnected from the complexity of the music. Then, perplexingly there are a few phrases of gutteral metal growl thrown around the album as if Phil Anselmo had stumbled into the mix down. That particular collision of vocal styles is a messy car crash and does the album no favours.

There are some decently crafted tunes here, often driven by the band’s outstanding drummer Martin Wagner who serves up mouthwatering rhythms and fills on ‘One Step Too Far’ and ‘A Taste of Light’. Again, the marriage of hard and fast guitar work with slow and brooding vocal hooks is one that will keep Relate in business. This is a dysfunctional relationship that needs all the counselling it can get.

‘Over and Done’ stands out as a track where the balance feels easy, smooth and powerful. By some margin, the best cut here. ‘As I Am’ benefits from a more dynamic vocal range. But all too often, the vibrancy and aspirations of the music (‘Claustrophobia’ and ‘World Goes On’ have some thrilling riffs) is undone by one-paced, slow-paced and mournful vocal delivery.

A work in progress. With a bit more therapy there’s potential here for something interesting.

***

Dave Atkinson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)