As labels feverishly search for the next big thing Napalm Records has placed Sweden’s Adept on their roster to add to their already eclectic roster of bands. With three albums out since 2004 this band sits very snugly in the modern metal genre that a multiple of globally dominant bands are now profiting from such as Bring Me The Horizon, Of Mice And Men, Parkway Drive and I guess Bullet For My Valentine. The metalcore scene has been the source of much vilification over the last decade but when it is done right you get albums like “Sleepless” that test the boundaries of the genre without diluting the song writing so much that the metal in question is cotton candy pop music with a heavy guitar tone which this isn’t.
Interestingly the opening tune “Black Veins” has a very poignant fade in with a monologue vocal testifying to the despair the guy is trying to impart with regards to the releases ethos if my interpretation is correct. As the tune lurches into life with a traditional metalcore riff and bouncing beat delivery the tune exhibits a heaviness that Parkway Drive reside within. There are also post rock/metal aspects too as the track dips momentarily to a choral break before unleashing the clean vocals that are tremendous. There are plenty of gang chant vocals used as you’d expect to satisfy a live audience as we get the first moment of breaking rank with a child like vocal backing that is heartfelt and absorbing. Launching straight into “Wounds” the tune breathes exuberance as those child like vocals reappear and add genuine dexterity to the song as the punchy riffing is beat down based but coupled to some excellent guitar flurries that thicken out the tunes so well.
In today’s market of algebraic guitar playing that is welcomed by sonic academics this album boasts its fair share of that ilk but prefers to retain approachability on all fronts especially vocally which for some will have them snarling in vehemence as though they have been personally affronted. Take it or leave it but in today’s metal market this style of metal is currently the thrash of the 1980s or the death metal of early 1990s and yes it isn’t as aggressive as those genres but it is relevant to a lot of teenagers that relate to the conceptualisations and sonic craftsmanship. As a gentle fade in starts “Carry The Weight” it is shattered by the breakdown riff and consequent increase in pace. This is a catchy tune, exuding charisma within its intractably defined drum beats which hit home like a hammer. The skilled song writing allows the band to incorporate the clean vocals without cliché and whilst predictable they add huge amounts of accessibility that continues with “Rewind The Tape” which has a typically angst teenage diatribe to start and it works fine in setting the tone for the tune.
Listening like an anti-bullying tune “Down And Out” is sure to be a crowd friendly tune with a ton of meaningful lyrics and berating vocals set to a breakdown infested beat. It is likely that this review will fall on deaf ears for the regular readers of Ave Noctum’s reviews which I accept but the music this release contains is exceptionally good no matter what genre it belongs to and is why I enjoy the shows that these bands put on. Their crowds are brilliant and utterly dedicated to their scene like we are and were to previous scenes and it is not for us to deny that as I look forward to catching this band on the live front at some point.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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