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Sleep Terror - Probing Tranquility review




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Reviewer:
7.8

6 users:
7.83
Band: Sleep Terror
Album: Probing Tranquility
Release date: 2006


01. Overture
02. Vague Sentiments Unveil
03. Amaxophobia
04. Somnambulistic Pedophile
05. Probing Tranquility
06. Diurnal Enuresis
07. Ginsu Frenzy
08. Hypersomnia Rationale
09. Autoerotic Spy
10. Primordial Void
11. Androgynous Charade
12. Dysrhythmic Vexation
13. Tables Turned Crimson
14. Hypnogogic Qualm
15. Ascetic Meditation

Sleep Terror used to be one of my favorite Death Metal bands in the scene; when I received their debut album, "Probing Tranquility", to do this review I got really excited, so much that I even left aside my already queued reviews as I knew this Sleep Terror was going to be one of the best Death Metal experiences in my entire life?but I was sadly wrong.

"Probing Tranquility" shows a less Death Metal side of Sleep Terror add the fact that we no longer hear the amazing human drummer pummeling our ears with sickening irregular beats, instead we are bombarded with a drum-machine that takes most of the great textures of the old Sleep Terror (like Blast-Beats for example). So it's a different kind of sound, but that doesn't mean it's a bad one.

Maybe the programmed instruments made this album kind of annoying and not very professional, but I was thinking "what if these things were actually played by, I don't know, Flo Mounier and Raphael Couturier" the album would have sounded a lot better?and I'm almost saying that it could be a whole new and different album. The songwriting is so good that even if the drums and the bass-lines sounded a little flat, the general scheme sounds just marvelous and it makes you stay to the very end of the CD.

Now, if you don't see this album as a Death Metal release your perspective will seriously change, I did it and I now hear a very interesting Avant-Garde band doing a heavier side of bands like Behold?The Arctopus Liquid Tension Experiment, Spastic Ink or Dysrhythmia . The general mixture of elements (Jazz, Metal, Rock, etc.) is still a shivering incident; musically, Luke Jaeger, proves that he's a really talented guy, he just needs to polish some aspects out and then we'll have a blasting masterpiece in our hands (I also hope to hear humans instead of machines in the next album)

So, Death Metal maniacs won't care a lot for this release, but Avant-Gardists out there will rejoice this event for a long time; I personally was expecting a lot more though?and maybe that was the main problem. But if you're unfamiliar with this name and if you're looking for adorned music with a touch of aggression, believe me, you'll be really pleased with "Probing Tranquility".

Best Tracks: Amaxophobia, Ascetic Meditation.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 7

Written by Herzebeth | 09.12.2006




Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 48 users
10.12.2006 - 03:31
Syk
myspace/bonerama
Originality 7? I see.
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death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon!

he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
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10.12.2006 - 04:19
Wo0dy
Account deleted
wtf... this album should get a 9+
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10.12.2006 - 04:32
Herzebeth

yes I decided to add a 7 in originality as it resembles a lot to those bands I mentioned in the review, (Behold?The Arctopus Liquid Tension Experiment, Spastic Ink or Dysrhythmia ) it's just my point of view.
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10.12.2006 - 04:57
spirit_inblack
harshhead
agreed with 100% Herz. Really great review this time around man. I used to think that Sleep Terror was one of the best bands around, until I realized the flaws they (he) had in the music and how there are other bands that can outdo this kind of music. Thanks for the review man!
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11.12.2006 - 07:14
Wo0dy
Account deleted
they dont use a drum machine, its all David McGraw right there
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11.12.2006 - 18:15
Herzebeth

@Wo0dy: No man, it's a drum machine, if you have the original album check the notes, you'll see what I mean David McGraw was there on their demos, but for this debut he left
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11.12.2006 - 23:04
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
I hope they plan on getting a human drummer. Drum machines are gay

As for the music, my friend burned me a bunch of tracks so I don't know if they're from this album or if they are demos. The music is really good and the frequent time changes make me smile every time.
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12.12.2006 - 03:32
Wo0dy
Account deleted
bleh wtf :\ lame
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04.07.2007 - 15:21
__Az__

Ive only just managed to hear this album, To be honest, Id say its very original, deserving more than a 7.

I enjoyed the album anyway, and would personally rate it at 8 or above.
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28.08.2011 - 19:10
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
I think this album sounds to... idk fake i dont like it.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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