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SubRosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones



8.2 | 96 votes |
Release date: 1 March 2011
Style: Sludge metal

Owners:

75 have it
10 want it


01. Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes
02. Beneath The Crown
03. Stonecarver
04. The Inheritance
05. Attack On Golden Mountain
06. Whippoorwill
07. House Carpenter
08. Dark Country

Staff review by
!J.O.O.E.!
Rating:
N/A
Gaze in wonder at one of Profound Lore's recent marvels.

Salt Lake City's SubRosa, skillfully avoiding the pitfalls of machismo sludge music, conjure a sound that would likely suit the female vocal aficionado as much as it would the hardened metaller. In fact one could easily recommend listening to it that way as this isn't like most ardent heavy sludge releases, the heaviness being largely replaced with an often psychedelic, dirging quality. The fuzzy guitars take a backseat (unusual for a sludge band) and are the first constituent in a sublime three-way as the grounding foundation between the off-kilter singing (and sparely used growling) and (dis)harmonies in a tug of war with the discordant violin. The real brilliance of every song, though, is the reward that awaits at the end of each. A build up, sometimes intentional repetition, before the component elements meet in crescendo that brings the violin to the foreground in a euphoric and transcendental manner. For this reason approaching SubRosa on a riff basis, which one might often do in the genre, isn't recommended.

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published 02.11.2011 | Comments (37)

In a sadly frequent number of cases the inclusion of the female vocal in the more extreme end of metal is typically employed for mere novelty effect (if not for the "crumpet" effect), occasionally adding another shade to the proceedings where it might. Not only do the three-fifths female outfit SubRosa manage, without effort, to waylay this unfortunate paradigm, they succeed in turning the sludge genre on its head and make the unconventional female vocal (think Bloody Panda rather than Nightwish) and the jarring violin (think A Forest Of Stars rather than Apocalyptica) its prime catalyst, creating a distinct and unusual approach to the sound. Both offbeat and dissonant whilst heavy and crushing (but not without a woman's touch) this is quite possibly the album of the year because of it.

!J.O.O.E.!'s picks | More picks ››

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Comments: 75   [ 2 ignored ]   Visited by: 360 users
25.04.2012 - 01:02
JD
Account deleted
How I missed this album the last year :/ I must follow Joe's picks from now on.
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29.07.2013 - 12:28
Fritillaria
Account deleted
Written by Guest on 30.12.2011 at 12:51

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.12.2011 at 09:44


far better than SubRosa Now those are weak vocals
And as we all know you and thrash don't go together at all.

Her vocals on that album sound like she belongs on some teenager angst ridden nu/hard rock album like Slunt or something. Totally inappropriate for the style. I'm amazed you like it but it shows how easily influenced you were when you were younger


But I loved everything about this album,even vocals impressed me so much, I know they're not anything special,but I think it suits the whole music.This album was so impressive on the whole.
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29.07.2013 - 14:03
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Guest on 29.07.2013 at 12:28


But I loved everything about this album,even vocals impressed me so much, I know they're not anything special,but I think it suits the whole music.This album was so impressive on the whole.

I agree, this album is virtually flawless if you ask me
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19.08.2013 - 18:01
Rating: 8
Demerzel

Great album, might become a 9 over time. Not sure how I feel about House Carpenter.
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08.12.2013 - 23:08
Rating: 7
mz

A very good album but the vocals sound really weak. Also, it is a little to long for its own good. A 7.7 rounded to 8
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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08.12.2013 - 23:44
Rating: 8
Paz
Nuclear Cowboy
Written by mz on 08.12.2013 at 23:08

the vocals sound really weak. Also, it is a little to long

I have a completely opposite view on these issues
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08.12.2013 - 23:49
Rating: 7
mz

Written by Paz on 08.12.2013 at 23:44

mpletely opposite view on these issues

well ,many have completely opposite view here. I'm in minority
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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08.12.2013 - 23:53
Rating: 8
Paz
Nuclear Cowboy
Written by mz on 08.12.2013 at 23:49

I'm in minority

You're elitist as fuck
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08.12.2013 - 23:55
Rating: 7
mz

Written by Paz on 08.12.2013 at 23:53

Written by mz on 08.12.2013 at 23:49

I'm in minority

You're elitist as fuck

no way, I like Eminem, Rihana and system of a down
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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18.08.2016 - 20:17
Rating: 8
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
I really wish they had just cut House Carpenter out of the album. Her vocals are not strong enough for a purely vocal track. Every time she's off pitch in the song it's incredibly cringe-worthy, and it's quite a shame because other than that song the album's flaws are few and far between.
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18.08.2016 - 21:25
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Alex F on 18.08.2016 at 20:17

I really wish they had just cut House Carpenter out of the album. Her vocals are not strong enough for a purely vocal track. Every time she's off pitch in the song it's incredibly cringe-worthy, and it's quite a shame because other than that song the album's flaws are few and far between.

Not as cringe-worthy as this comment though As far as I know this band never participated in any upcoming- star show on tv (whatever theyre called).
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19.08.2016 - 17:16
Rating: 8
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
Written by Guest on 18.08.2016 at 21:25

Not as cringe-worthy as this comment though As far as I know this band never participated in any upcoming- star show on tv (whatever theyre called).

Don't get me wrong I still think the album is great, and her vocals are totally perfect for the style, I just don't think a purely vocal track fit into the album at all. We both gave the album the same score haha no need to defend it to me!
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19.08.2016 - 19:32
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Alex F on 19.08.2016 at 17:16

Written by Guest on 18.08.2016 at 21:25

Not as cringe-worthy as this comment though As far as I know this band never participated in any upcoming- star show on tv (whatever theyre called).

Don't get me wrong I still think the album is great, and her vocals are totally perfect for the style, I just don't think a purely vocal track fit into the album at all. We both gave the album the same score haha no need to defend it to me!

I know, I know, I am defending it anyways I think the diversity the track brings is good and my guess is that if you want to find schooled singers metal isnt the best genre. Besides Dickinson ofc
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19.08.2016 - 21:10
Rating: 10
Susan
Smeghead
Written by Guest on 19.08.2016 at 19:32

Written by Alex F on 19.08.2016 at 17:16

Written by Guest on 18.08.2016 at 21:25

Not as cringe-worthy as this comment though As far as I know this band never participated in any upcoming- star show on tv (whatever theyre called).

Don't get me wrong I still think the album is great, and her vocals are totally perfect for the style, I just don't think a purely vocal track fit into the album at all. We both gave the album the same score haha no need to defend it to me!

I know, I know, I am defending it anyways I think the diversity the track brings is good and my guess is that if you want to find schooled singers metal isnt the best genre. Besides Dickinson ofc


Aww, so many of us love that track; I'm sad to see it's not universally loved It's soooo deliciously creepy!

But FYI it's not Rebecca doing all 3 vocal parts. All 3 women of the band are harmonizing together.
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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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19.08.2016 - 21:28
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Susan on 19.08.2016 at 21:10

Written by Guest on 19.08.2016 at 19:32

Written by Alex F on 19.08.2016 at 17:16

Written by Guest on 18.08.2016 at 21:25

Not as cringe-worthy as this comment though As far as I know this band never participated in any upcoming- star show on tv (whatever theyre called).

Don't get me wrong I still think the album is great, and her vocals are totally perfect for the style, I just don't think a purely vocal track fit into the album at all. We both gave the album the same score haha no need to defend it to me!

I know, I know, I am defending it anyways I think the diversity the track brings is good and my guess is that if you want to find schooled singers metal isnt the best genre. Besides Dickinson ofc

But FYI it's not Rebecca doing all 3 vocal parts. All 3 women of the band are harmonizing together.

Didnt know that, have to listen it now. Great rating you have on this album
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