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Vanisher - Unbound review



Reviewer:
N/A

5 users:
7
Band: Vanisher
Album: Unbound
Release date: July 2012


01. Orchids/Unbound
02. Seven Years Buried
03. Destined To Drown
04. Into The Sands
05. Deceiver
06. Blood Red Sky
07. Ghosts Of Yesterday
08. Reaction

Vanisher. About as melodic as metalcore gets.

Unbound is immediately enjoyable and, due to the high energy of the players, stays engaging throughout. It's catchy and memorable? but only to the point that it holds your attention and leaves you wanting more. Despite the melodic metalcore tag, this is never the sickening variety of "catchy" with saccharine hooks and the like. It's heavy, appropriately driving, and the vocals are incredibly emotional and powerful, spanning quite a range and simply electrifying the music of each track. For only a sophomore album, Vanisher presents an incredibly professional, cohesive, and polished opus.

Plus, it's just fun.

This album seems to tempt metalcore in a more hard rock/classic heavy metal direction and that is the subtle ingredient that helped Unbound catch my ear. Slight 80s rock vibes creep in on "Into The Sands" and hard rock traditions are insinuated on excellent closing track "Reaction," among several others.

Some of you will undoubtedly be turned off by the accessibility, commercial viability, and melodic nature of Vanisher and there is nothing I can do about that. But look, there will always be metal music that is more mainstream or accessible than the rest. That's just a fact. So, if there must be mainstream metal, let's make sure it's good. Vanisher proves that you can be straightforward and at the same time NOT suck. It's a neat trick!

This is undemanding metal but it's certainly not without plenty of interesting bits. I won't go so far as to say "progressive elements" but I will say this: if you let Vanisher lead you on this journey you won't be bored and you won't look back.

Listen at Bandcamp.





Written on 10.12.2012 by Susan appreciates quality metal regardless of sub-genre. Metal Storm Staff since 2006.

Twitter: @HeavyMetalSusan


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 139 users
11.12.2012 - 01:11
Tristus Scriptor
Rancid Reviewer
Susan. I really like the way you reviewed this- especially the way you rationalize metal with accessibility. In a day and age where the trend (and yes, it IS a trend unto itself) of being against anything not underground or obscure; it's good to see a writer for a respectable metal site speak this way. I'm to the point where I'm almost more proud of my tastes in hated metal than preferred bands of "trueness"...just to piss off the people that know how much of a knowledgeable and active past I have. "What are you doing dude? You know that shit is trendy poser-metal!" ..."Precisely. I made myself like it in order to bother you." That is never the case, since I like what I like. But these people are such titty-babies, for lack of a better word. Bravo. I might just go check this one out when I'm in the mood to pop out from my shadow-world...
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11.12.2012 - 13:02
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
I think if the vocalist had access to a more dynamic range of vocal techniques heard from bands such as Leprous, Scar Symmetry, Textures, or the like, it would surely compliment the music to a greater degree and compensate for its accessibly . That being said, the singer proficiently covers the domain of his vocal style. Barring the saccharin harmonies, a decent metalcore release.
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11.12.2012 - 20:36
Tristus Scriptor
Rancid Reviewer
Written by LeKiwi on 11.12.2012 at 13:02

I think if the vocalist had access to a more dynamic range of vocal techniques heard from bands such as Leprous, Scar Symmetry, Textures, or the like, it would surely compliment the music to a greater degree and compensate for its accessibly . That being said, the singer proficiently covers the domain of his vocal style. Barring the saccharin harmonies, a decent metalcore release.

Now, having listened to this due to Susan's review, and despite my praise of her acceptance and said rationality- I will admit that it truly isn't my bag. And while I will say it is well-done and enjoyable, I almost instantly wanted to run quickly to Killswitch Engage's "Alive Or Just Breathing" in order to truly say "Fuck yeah! I DO like some metalcore, since it shows that modern heavy music fans love the classics enough to draw influence!" However...this release does lack exactly what you were hinting at. While keeping the "metalcore" in tact, yet culling cues from your stated bands would help them drastically. Now...I am in more of a METAL in it's purer form mood (been listening to a lot of metalcore lately) - so I will go listen to my *favorite* metal band that hints at metalcore: Mercenary. A little weary of the other way around...Anyway- this day and age is coming along and getting a bit more tolerable. \m/
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12.12.2012 - 19:50
Slayer666

This is pretty much what metalcore shouldn't sound like.
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13.12.2012 - 00:38
Susan
Smeghead
If you guys don't like this that's cool. I'm not offended or anything... I'll just be over in the corner... sulking...

Just kidding I guess that just means more Vanisher for me and I don't have to share now?
----
"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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13.12.2012 - 04:06
Tristus Scriptor
Rancid Reviewer
Written by Susan on 13.12.2012 at 00:38

If you guys don't like this that's cool. I'm not offended or anything... I'll just be over in the corner... sulking...

Just kidding I guess that just means more Vanisher for me and I don't have to share now?

Lol. Wadda you mean, "you guys"?! I was very respectable about your review and the talents of the band - even referring to it as "enjoyable" at some point. So that means there might come a day that I'm in the mood for it. So don't take it all...nooo. Just kidding. It truly isn't my thing. XD Anyway - keep up the good work.
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04.04.2013 - 23:56
Rating: 8
Rudedog

Susan, I agree with your review and am a fan of Vanisher. I have updated Vanisher's Metal Storm page but have not yet requested "activation" by Metal Storm. I added some videos and Vanisher's 2011 EP release "Buried Alone". Also, added some updates regarding current and former band members. Hope you'll check it out and post any comments you have about the additions here. Thanks.
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16.04.2013 - 01:13
Rating: 8
Rudedog

Requested "activation" of VANISHER's Metal Storm page!
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