By Night
A Shape of New Desperation
Lifeforce (2007)
Where to begin, where to begin... For starters they're Swedish, which would normally be a plus, but in this case it is not because they opt to sound like every other 'Mercan scream-core band you've ever heard and that's really about it. Do you like Lamb of God? Do you like every band like this that tries to sound like … Read more
Cassius
I Am Jim Jones
Lifeforce (2007)
My first impression of Cassius is "Oh no, not another metalcore band." As time wears on, I hope that a lot of the kids in these bands wake up and stop perpetuating a mostly tired genre. Cassius at least does a solid job of playing in the genre. They also bring refreshing brevity to their songwriting and arrangements. I must … Read more
Deadlock
Bizarro World
Lifeforce (2011)
Deadlock has been around the block awhile as a band. Gone through member shifts as well as shifts in sound and "artistic vision". The band caught alot of flack with their last album, putting more focus of melodic parts and techno breakdowns than the metalcore they were previously known for. Thus comes from gaining a female singer with a decent … Read more
Deadsoil
Sacrifice
Lifeforce (2006)
Deadsoil is another one of those by the numbers German metalcore acts that I have come to expect from Lifeforce Records. But instead of being a Heaven Shall Burn ripoff, Deadsoil is more of a Hatebreed/Bury Your Dead ripoff, except with obnoxious singing parts and typical guitar harmonies. To their credit, the band does have considerably more musical chops than … Read more
Death Before Disco
Barricades
Lifeforce (2006)
I'll be the first to admit that I often judge a book by its cover the same way I judge a band by their name and cover art. Simply based on these indicators, Death Before Disco did not give me great first impressions. I mean, Death Before Disco; not only is it a terrible name for this bands sound but … Read more
Fall of Serenity
Bloodred Salvation
Lifeforce (2006)
There seems to be an unhealthy amount of metalcore originating from the usually respectable country of Germany. And they all seem to be on Lifeforce. Out of these bands, Fall of Serenity is one of the better ones, or at least one of the least annoying of the bunch. The worldwide metalcore herd needs some serious thinning out, but Fall … Read more
Fall of Serenity
The Crossfire
Lifeforce (2008)
My first exposure to this German outfit is a simple enough experience to recount and that is via the split LP which they have with their compatriots Heaven Shall Burn, and, since that record is several years old at this point, hearing how or if the band has changed in that time. Seeing as how The Crossfire is the first … Read more
Hell Within
Shadows of Vanity
Lifeforce (2007)
Taken verbatim from the initial notes of the reviewer: Starts out promisingly enough with Derek Jay beating the snare like he just caught it pooching his wife. Same energy as early Metallica (hey kids! remember them?). Vocalist reminiscent of the Avenged Sevenfold dude. Christ, I hope he looks cooler.) The song being referred to is the opening and title track … Read more
Light Pupil Dilate
Snake Wine
Lifeforce (2007)
It's never easy to be a band today with many disparate influences. Today's groups are trying to become immortal or are at the very least play music that they want to hear. But the fact is that there have been so many classic bands so far that have provided us with awe-inspiring albums that it's so hard to top. So … Read more
Miseration
Your Demons ~ Their Angels
Lifeforce (2008)
Former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam has left said band to focus more on his other project, Miseration. Miseration is also a melodic death metal band, like Scar Symmetry, only they take a more straightforward approach rather than a technical/progressive one. The band's debut album Your Demons ~ Their Angels may satisfy fans of melo-death but their overall sound is … Read more
Nahemah
A New Constellation
Lifeforce (2009)
Nahemah are a rather different band. Coming out of Spain a country not generally known for their metal and playing a style different than most. They play a style of metal that involves prog, post metal and death metal among others. While some might read that description and picture a band not being able to find a direction and coming … Read more
Nightrage
A New Disease is Born
Lifeforce (2007)
Allow me to preface my review with the following disclaimer: I am an avid follower of Tomas Lindberg's projects; so, due to his being the band's original screaming vocalist, I have some exposure to Nightrage in their previous albums, 2005's Descent into Chaos and 2003's Sweet Vengeance. They play a variation on the melodic Swedish death metal style popularized by … Read more
Omnium Gatherum
New World Shadows
Lifeforce (2011)
As I listen to New World Shadows, the latest opus from Finland's Omnium Gatherum, I am awash in triumphant and majestic riffs that are far prettier than anything that a sub-genre of death metal should ever produce. But therein lies the rub. The reason I stay up at nights listening to New World Shadows followed by Scream Bloody Gore. These … Read more
Seneca
Reflections
Lifeforce (2009)
Although they aren't breaking any new ground, especially in the already worn-down genre of metalcore, North Carolina's Seneca are talented at what they do. Though everything they've written on their sophomore album Reflections has been done before, they execute it with such precision and emotion that it gives it a new feel. This isn't to say that their songs were … Read more
The Blackout Argument
Remedies
Lifeforce (2009)
Germany's The Blackout Argument are one of the many new hardcore acts being spawned in the scene today. In their short career as a band, they have already released three EP's and a full-length and they have been building their reputation as one of the hardest working bands out there today. They recently faced the challenge of finding a new … Read more
The Last Felony
Too Many Humans
Lifeforce (2010)
This band is what one supposes would be the great Canadian deathcore hope. That is to say they follow in the footsteps, at least in theory, of Despised Icon. While I'd be the first to say that those are pretty big boots to fill in reality. So you know in basic terms what to expect, a little tech, heavy moshable … Read more
War From A Harlots Mouth
MMX
Lifeforce (2010)
War from a Harlots Mouth is definitely not new to the metal core or death core scene. They’ve been around a while, done tours, essentially put in their time. But, how has this experience shaped them when it comes to writing and recording? The blunt answer seems to be that it hasn’t in a big way.What we get is well-played … Read more
Winterus
In Carbon Mysticism
Lifeforce (2011)
The band Winterus formerly known as The Ancient are a Michigan band that seems to be wishing it was from the coldest regions of Norway. That is to say they traffic in a cleaned up version of what tends to be called blackened death metal. The band does not rely on keyboards to make their songs interesting which is a … Read more
