Melodic death metal from Sweden is like a badge of honour. Scar Symmetry are known exponents of the genre, having been doing it since 2004. I know this band from their earlier works and live performances, which were always noteworthy for their energy. Having mostly seen them in the 00s, including at ProgPower Europe and Bloodstock, my research tells me that the last time I saw them was in 2013. “The Singularity” is the second part of a trilogy and the band’s seventh album. Of these, I have two – “Symmetric in Design” (2005) and “Pitch Black Progress” (2006) – so there’s a bit of catching up to do on my part.
The ingredients are the same: high energy melodic metal, thunder, growls, clean sections and a nod towards power metal. “Chrononautilus” is all these things. I particularly liked the section towards the end when it threatened to turn into chaos but predictably it all remained heavily under control. “Scorched Quadrant” hinted at drama. The formula is the same: lashings of rocking heaviness with a clean chorus. There’s plenty of intensity and it’s all a jolly good romp. “Overworld” continues the stylistic theme, and distinguished itself with a splendid guitar solo but not a lot else. What this needed was a change of direction, and “Altergeist” pulls this off nicely with a symphonic blackened atmosphere but with a prog type chorus, resulting in what I can only summarise as an interesting hybrid of Vesania and Haken. I’d not heard anything like this before from Scar Symmetry and I’m delighted to have heard this atmospheric piece. Allaying my earlier concern that we were being blown off course, “Altergeist” dramatically hits the spot and brings us back on track. Where “The Illusionist” on the “Pitch Black Progress” album is perhaps the template Scar Symmetry song, “Altergeist” takes us to a new level. Follow that … well “Reichsfall” does, and is the classic melodic heavy – clean combo with the flowing energy in which Scar Symmetry specialise.
Where that worked well, for me “Digiphrenia Dawn” doesn’t. It’s like a stir fry where every classic Scar Symmetry element is thrown in, and it has no purpose or direction. By contrast “Hyperborean Plains” starts with intent and promise, its heavy driving riff providing the backbone to the combination of growls and clean vocals which are such a typical feature. Like the earlier “Chrononautilus” the tempo is upped into an explosive riot but only for a brief few moments before the train continues on its multi-layered but conventional journey. “Hyperborean Plains” rates high on its action level and is a nicely rounded song. “Gridworm” seemed to be several songs in one, and like the earlier “Digiphrenia Dawn” left me wondering what I had been listening to. A symphonic type sound comes into play once more on the theatrical “A Voyage with Tailed Meteors”, an interesting song with a dark mood, fast pace and flamboyant solos. The pace is kept up on “Soulscanner”, another dark and heavy melodic romp, enhanced by its solos and the customary dual vocals. Epic isn’t a word I’d apply to this album in general because it’s so heavily laden with action, but for the final song “Xenotaph” Scar Symmetry come out of their template shell and instead of going at it all guns blazing, heighten the emotional level without compromising on the heaviness or the power. It’s an uplifting ending.
I’d guess that devotees of Scar Symmetry will be highly delighted with “The Singularity”, and it has a lot to offer for those who aren’t. There’s a mix of what I saw as their trademark melodic metal sound, while I appreciated also the fact that the band have branched out in their sound style since I last heard them. It’s a strange album in a way as the band’s ambition is more present and works better on some songs than others. “Altergeist” is the darkest track but ironically is a breath of fresh air, musically speaking, while some of the other songs for me lacked shape. What is patently still there is Scar Symmetry’s range of sound, including the dark and heavy riffs, the growls, the clean choruses, the solos, and the melody. Whilst I would say that this combination is channelled in a more interesting way in some parts of the album than others, overall I enjoyed this album and it brought back good memories of experiencing the energy of the band’s early albums and live performances.
(7/10 Andrew Doherty)
Leave a Reply