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Scar Symmetry - The Unseen Empire



7.8 | 280 votes |
Release date: 15 April 2011
Style: Melodic death metal, Progressive power metal

Owners:

291 have it
31 want it


01. The Anomaly
02. Illuminoid Dream Sequence
03. Extinction Mantra
04. Seers Of The Eschaton
05. Domination Agenda
06. Astronomicon
07. Rise Of The Reptilian Regime
08. The Draconian Arrival
09. Alpha And Omega

Additional info
Produced and mixed by Jonas Kjellgren.
Co-produced by Per Nilsson.
Recorded at Blacklounge and Abyss Studios.
Mastered by Plec at the Panicroom.
Artwork by Colin Marks.

Staff review by
Troy Killjoy
Rating:
4.5
So this is it, Scar Symmetry's second release without Christian Älvestam. Two albums in two years makes for a great opportunity to move on from the past and make yourself known to the metal community as a force to be reckoned with regardless of who your frontman is.

Or in this case, who your frontmen are.

Anyone familiar with the band's history knows Älvestam was replaced by two vocalists - one to handle cleans, the other to handle growls. Aside from that, the music hasn't changed all that much, although they did manage to experiment slightly with Dark Matter Dimensions in terms of songwriting, much to their fans' dismay.

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published 14.11.2011 | Comments (71)

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Comments: 79   Visited by: 819 users
22.07.2011 - 11:40
Rating: 9
Pankar95

Written by neonxaos on 19.06.2011 at 16:50

Still a complete mystery to me that this is not in the year's top 10.


+1 It could easily have been in places 12 to 8.
1st half of the albums is far bette rthan the last 3 songs though
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29.08.2011 - 10:23
Rating: 10
neonxaos

MetalHOE - thank you for your input, but I have thought about it long and hard, believe me. Just because you can name other bands and albums which you find better or more interesting doesn't mean I have to feel different or change my mind. This is the album of the year for me thus far. Hands down.
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06.10.2011 - 08:33
Rating: 10
Destructo

Written by neonxaos on 24.05.2011 at 17:44

I am revising my rating (previously 9) on this one. I have listened to it since release, and it just gets better and better for me. This is one of the greatest albums ever made in this genre, if not metal as a whole.

Oh wow. So I am not alone. Even I have thought on exactly the same lines. Just revised my own rating from a 9 to 10 recently. This is a truly fantastic album !!
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15.11.2011 - 05:15
Rating: 9
Garth Vader

Written by Guest on 27.08.2011 at 18:04

Written by neonxaos on 24.05.2011 at 17:44

I am revising my rating (previously 9) on this one. I have listened to it since release, and it just gets better and better for me. This is one of the greatest albums ever made in this genre, if not metal as a whole.


Please think about it once again: "This is one of the greatest albums ever made in this genre, if not metal as a whole."

I can name tons of better metal albums and bands... This is a quite good album but not a masterpiece in any part or element of it.

Well, we're waiting for this list of tons of other metal bands to check out... or are you all smack talk?
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Now I so clearly see how I have murdered me
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15.11.2011 - 08:07
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Garth Vader on 15.11.2011 at 05:15
Well, we're waiting for this list of tons of other metal bands to check out... or are you all smack talk?

I don't think he meant he was going to supply a list of better albums than this. He said he can think of albums that are masterpieces and this isn't one of them.

After all, providing a list of albums better than this would take way too long to write.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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17.11.2011 - 08:32
Rating: 9
Garth Vader

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.11.2011 at 08:07

Written by Garth Vader on 15.11.2011 at 05:15
Well, we're waiting for this list of tons of other metal bands to check out... or are you all smack talk?

I don't think he meant he was going to supply a list of better albums than this. He said he can think of albums that are masterpieces and this isn't one of them.

After all, providing a list of albums better than this would take way too long to write.

No one is asking for a massive list, just name a few for comparative purposes. We would like to know that we are comparing apples to apples here. I mean, really anyone can SAY that Yanni is better, but then again that wouldn't really fly here on Metalstorm would it?
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Now I so clearly see how I have murdered me
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17.11.2011 - 08:41
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Garth Vader on 17.11.2011 at 08:32
No one is asking for a massive list, just name a few for comparative purposes.

Okay, for albums that are much better than this in similar category (melodeath)...well I guess listing bands that are better might be easier:

Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth, Edge of Sanity, Insomnium, Be'lakor, Omnium Gatherum, Mors Principium Est, In Flames (old), Hypocrisy...

Bands on the SS level: Soilwork, Disarmonia Mundi, Noumena, Mercenary, Skyfire...
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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17.11.2011 - 09:14
Rating: 9
Garth Vader

Written by Troy Killjoy on 17.11.2011 at 08:41

Written by Garth Vader on 17.11.2011 at 08:32
No one is asking for a massive list, just name a few for comparative purposes.

Okay, for albums that are much better than this in similar category (melodeath)...well I guess listing bands that are better might be easier:

Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth, Edge of Sanity, Insomnium, Be'lakor, Omnium Gatherum, Mors Principium Est, In Flames (old), Hypocrisy...

Bands on the SS level: Soilwork, Disarmonia Mundi, Noumena, Mercenary, Skyfire...

Thank you. For the most part I agree. Although nothing after Colony was very noteworthy, I did like a few songs on Clayman. Dark Tranquillity can bore me sometimes, with too much of the same thing on a few albums. Natural Born Chaos will always be on my good list, and Mercenary's "Firesoul" still blows me away.
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Now I so clearly see how I have murdered me
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25.11.2011 - 01:32
Rating: 6
Aebsi

After listening to it again after a while I actually find it not so good anymore but not so bad either just average.
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Just be Yourself
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28.11.2011 - 10:32
Rating: 5
pazuzuovbabel
Pazuzu
I guess that a joke right, 8.1 !!! , i listened to couple of songs and I couldnt continue , the vocals the guitars, all sound like a terrible combination of a bad MeloDeathCore ... i guess i was to listening to it directly after Insomnium awesome release One For Sorrow
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27.12.2011 - 19:12
Rating: 5
Reaper_Redeemer

Dissapointing... Their early work was great but now I dont find a reason why I should continue listen to their next efforts...
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14.04.2012 - 20:13
Rating: 6
Xytraguptor

Extremely disappointed. Not because Christian is not doing the vocals. Although he cannot reach Christian's awesomeness, Lars has become really adapt and great. It's just that the music is no way near anything they have done on their first three albums. Yeah there are a few catchy parts (The Anomaly is godlike) and really heavy stuff like Astronomicon. But apart from that the rest is quite forgettable. I don't know why they changed musically so much with Christian's departure.
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03.06.2012 - 16:43
GrayWiZZarD
Account deleted
Will really put scar symmetry on the map of MeloDEeath
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31.07.2013 - 21:54
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Falls short of my expectations in almost every aspect...I miss those old albums. Some of the stuff here is solid - mostly generic though They need Christian back :S
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31.07.2013 - 22:13
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by LeKiwi on 31.07.2013 at 21:54

Falls short of my expectations in almost every aspect...I miss those old albums. Some of the stuff here is solid - mostly generic though They need Christian back :S

I didn't actually have any good expectations. Always thought it was ironic they had to hire 2 guys to replace Christian.
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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31.07.2013 - 23:54
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by psykometal on 31.07.2013 at 22:13

I didn't actually have any good expectations. Always thought it was ironic they had to hire 2 guys to replace Christian.

I started listening to the band after the release of this album and started with their 2nd and 3rd albums...so yea my expectations were rather high Sad times....
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01.08.2013 - 03:33
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by LeKiwi on 31.07.2013 at 23:54

I started listening to the band after the release of this album and started with their 2nd and 3rd albums...so yea my expectations were rather high Sad times....

I found them right about the time when Pitch Black Progress came out and fell in love with them, a lot of it because of Christian's incredible voice. So when Christian announced his departure I was very sad because I knew his huge vocal range was going to be difficult to find in another vocalist, but I decided I'd give whoever the new guy was going to be a chance because if they found another guy that could cover Christian's vocal range then that would be impressive. However when they announced that they had found 2 vocalists to replace Christian is when I knew the band was over for me. I gave them a chance anyway, just to be fair to the band, but I just couldn't get into those new vocalists because they just weren't Scar Symmetry for me. *shrug*
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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01.08.2013 - 05:07
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by psykometal on 01.08.2013 at 03:33

I found them right about the time when Pitch Black Progress came out and fell in love with them, a lot of it because of Christian's incredible voice. So when Christian announced his departure I was very sad because I knew his huge vocal range was going to be difficult to find in another vocalist, but I decided I'd give whoever the new guy was going to be a chance because if they found another guy that could cover Christian's vocal range then that would be impressive. However when they announced that they had found 2 vocalists to replace Christian is when I knew the band was over for me. I gave them a chance anyway, just to be fair to the band, but I just couldn't get into those new vocalists because they just weren't Scar Symmetry for me. *shrug*

It's pretty incredible that their combined skill is no match to Christian's. In any case I still have some faith in the band as the line-up is mostly unchanged, and hopefully untarnished Only time will tell.
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15.12.2014 - 02:17
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
As much as I hate to admit it, this album has grown on me. Every track is memorable in one respect or another. Still not fond of those cleans...
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