Allegaeon - Formshifter review
| Band: | Allegaeon |
| Album: | Formshifter |
| Style: | Melodic death metal, Technical death metal |
| Release date: | May 2012 |
01. Behold (God I Am)
02. Tartessos: The Hidden Xenocryst
03. A Path Disclosed
04. Iconic Images
05. Twelve - Vals For The Legions
06. The Azrael Trigger
07. From The Stars Death Came
08. Timeline Dissonance
09. Formshifter
10. Secrets Of The Sequence
You know what's great? Melodic death metal that still happens to be death metal...Rather than some ambiguous melodic riffing put through thickened production with death growls laid over top. None of that crap here, Formshifter is what you could call a quintessential melodic death metal album in the truest sense of the term.
Melodic death metal with a slight techy flavouring? Naturally, you think Arsis. Comparing the two, this makes Arsis sound pretty thin.
Stop! Amalgamation time! Here's what the mix is like:
Take a little bit of Arsis' digestible technical prowess, mix it with a dash or two of God Dethroned's straightforward death-thrash assault. Now take a few of Arch Enemy's better epic leads and sprinkle them on top. Perhaps as a bonus, give the overall feel something akin to Amoral's Reptile Ride...You know, before they became a boy band. Formshifter is not an amalgamation sort of recording though, it's very much a straightforward album, which unfortunately may come as a bore some, but will be a treat for those who love solidity and worship great riffs.
Sounds wondrous, right? Well...Yes, it is. Too often melodic metal songs consist of one-shot sugary riffs that seem like they could be considered memorable, but are so run of the mill they just don't stick. Allagaeon have put out an album here that is cram packed with genuinely memorable hooks & leads interlaced into a strong backbone, giving the whole picture a much more full-bodied feel than what a lot of us may expect from a melodic death metal album.
Comments
Comments: 14
Visited by: 333 users
| psykometal A staff guy... Posts: 6101 From: USA  |
Nice review, this could honestly be a review for both of their albums since you didn't really mention any specific songs or details. Not that that's a bad thing because both of their albums are pretty awesome. I haven't gotten to put as much time into this album as I did their debut but from what I've heard so far, it's pretty awesome just like the first album.
---- ~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~ 
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Posts: 9718 From: Canada  |
Written by psykometal on 05.05.2012 at 09:02 Unless a certain songs marks a significant change in the album, I usually talk about the overall sound, rather than the specific songs. This one is pretty constant. But if you must know, the main repeated lead in "Tartessos: The Hidden Xenocryst" is probably one of the high points of the album for me.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| BudDa Posts: 887 From: Uganda  |
I haven't listened to this yet. But the couple of songs I listened to, I really liked. I'll most definitely look for this. Good review
---- Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada  |
Was not expecting this high a rating for this to be honest, Doc. I found this to be pretty average middle-of-the-pack technically-driven melodeath with a bit of a heavier production to hide its cookie-cutter style. I still haven't heard the entire album but the songs I heard on Youtube didn't paint nearly as pretty a picture. Maybe more time spent with the overall package and not just a few tracks will change my mind, although I doubt it. As I mentioned in the album thread, they sound like contemporary Arsis, and I don't think that's a good thing.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Kwis Posts: 133 From: South Africa  |
Hate Arsis, love Allegaeon! Fragments of Form and Function was a personal highlight for me back in 2010, so REALLY looking forward to this album.
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| neonxaos Posts: 163 From: Denmark |
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| scaesura Posts: 174 From: USA |
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| Malignar Posts: 284 From: USA |
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| Coconut Racecar Posts: 382 From: Canada  |
Yeah I'm not surprised in the least. Their last album was magnificent, it just makes sense that this one would be too. I can't wait to hear it !! \m/
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| Dylan Posts: 93 From: Australia |
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| The Voyager The Table Posts: 152 From: USA  |
Why do people like this band so much? I seriously don't get it. Pretty standard to me.
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| RockeRoy Posts: 641 From: Norway  |
Nothing special, a couple of cool drumparts. Not a singel riff i will remember, Formshifter would be the only memorable song here, maybe becasue it's the moast catchy one. And the solos feel forced and are not good. Previous album mutch better
---- You found god? If nobody claims him in thirty days, he's yours Walk with me in hell
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| Maxx666 Meshuggahian Posts: 376 From: USA  |
I find it quite amazing, that being a relatively new band ,Allagaeon is releasing top quality material one after another. They surely have mastered the art of perfection. And nice review btw
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| pyrz Posts: 88 From: Germany |
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