The concept behind this album is of a “post-apocalyptic” cosmos in which two rival bands, the Raiders and the Crystal Gods fight it out after the collapse of industrial revolution. Another claim which this Berlin band make is of playing “party-tauglich metal”: metal fit for parties. I wouldn’t have thought that these visions are incompatible.
“Nothing to lose and nothing to gain, I guess I die here …. I killed a thousand people on my way home” are some of the uninspiring lyrics on the uninspiring and disharmonious “Nomad”. Spoken sections and poorly sung harmonies sandwich a meaningless instrumental section. Its painfulness is shared with the slightly more tolerable title-track whose atmosphere falls similarly flat thanks mainly but not exclusively to some dodgy vocals. Luckily it’s not all like this. There is plenty of that “Party-tauglichkeit” on “Human Remains” and I’m grateful for it. The lively “A Perfect Drug” is the highlight for me with its almost punkish riff. The opener “The Die Off” captures the essential style of this band. Like “A Perfect Drug”, there’s a god catchy riff in what is essentially unexceptional melodic thrash. The delivery is smooth in a classic metal style. Some parts are chunkier than others. Spoken hardcore-inspired parts combine with nice guitar solos where there’s an element of The Haunted. The chorus is catchy. “It’s All Over” is another decent track. Again there’s plenty of melody. The vocals are weak with the exception of the hardcore sections, but even they could be delivered with more power. The sound mix, not of the strongest, is partly to blame, making the vocals stand behind the rest. What I like most of all is the sense of freedom about the way the songs race off punkily. The punkishness comes from the uncomplicated sound mix, so where it doesn’t work for the vocals, it works for the instrumentals, at least on those tracks where Declamatory play to their strengths. As the album progresses, there’s a decent level of crunchiness and above all a melodic thrashiness about most of the tracks, but there’s nothing new coming out here. The format is mostly the same. “Night Club Booze Tale” could have broken out with its technical range and its head-banging section but it’s all too short and the opportunity is missed.
I imagine that Declamatory could put on a decent live show. Some of their energy came across here on “Human Remains” but there were too many weaknesses in terms of vocals, sound mix issues and the development of creative ideas that I found this album slightly frustrating and disappointing.
(4/10 Andrew Doherty)
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