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Rating:
6.5 |
Valediction - The Primitive Architecture
26 February 2011
01. Descent
02. Moment Of Decay
03. The Primitive Architecture
04. Transcendent
05. Dead Zone
06. Siege Of Dis
07. The Bleeding Tower
08. Above The Horizon
09. Damned
10. The Nights Eye
11. Requiem
Melodic death metal
Ireland
Self-released
Line-up on the CD:
Martin O'Hanrahan - vocals
Stephen "Huzy" Hughes - lead guitar
Graham Foster - rhythm guitar
Kevin Byrne - bass, synth, vocals
David "Ryaner" Ryan - drums
I'll cut straight to the point, Valediction is an Irish melodic death metal outfit, and they sound way too much like a mix of early Omnium Gatherum and Mors Principium Est. The cheese factor is cranked up pretty high here thanks to the overall synth abuse - a la Eternal Tears Of Sorrow - and the amateurish growls really detract from the album's tolerance.
As is typical of modern melodeath albums, The Primitive Architecture features some genuinely enjoyable melodies, but the riff-focused song structures are predictable and in the end not overly enjoyable. It suffers terribly from the "not good, not bad" complex; although, these qualities aren't the worst thing to appear in a debut album.
One thing the band deserves credit for is their ability to change pace not only between tracks, but between riffs within each track. Some might consider it a matter of inconsistency, but I think this is probably the album's most significant - or for that matter, only - strength. The variation has the ability to maintain your interest more so than a completely generic melodeath album, as it takes you through melodic anthems and headbanging mosh pits, but the cheese factor and grating vocals still take too much away from this release for it to be considered in any way a completely pleasant experience.
If you like your metal with a ton of melody, a hint of darkness, and you have the ability to overlookignore a vocalist, Valediction are worth keeping an eye on, and there's rarely a better place to start with a band than a debut.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/valedictionireland
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Performance:
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8 |
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Songwriting:
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6 |
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Originality:
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5 |
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Production:
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7 |
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Written on 08.05.2011 by
Troy Killjoy
A Metal Storm Staff member and official reviewer since 2011, Troy is well-trained in the art of black metal and mockery.
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Comments
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10
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Users visited:
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| Wow, lots of melodeath reviews this year. If your description is true, then I won't bother checking them out. There are tons of better bands to explore. |
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Written by MechanisT on 08.05.2011 at 02:15
lots of melodeath releases this year.
And not enough funeral doom.  |
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.05.2011 at 02:18
Written by MechanisT on 08.05.2011 at 02:15
lots of melodeath releases this year.
And not enough funeral doom.
Yeah, sort of. Not a big fan, but won't mind seeing an increase in number this year. |
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Written by MechanisT on 08.05.2011 at 02:20
Yeah, sort of. Not a big fan, but won't mind seeing an increase in number this year.
 I wasn't implying that melodeath isn't good, but I'm getting tired with the sheer volume of it this year. I wouldn't mind seeing more releases of other genres I enjoy...or at least more quality melodeath releases.
That being said, I rated this about the same as Omnium Gatherum's latest, and that album seems to be getting praised across the web. Maybe more people should check these guys out in that case.  |
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.05.2011 at 02:25
Written by MechanisT on 08.05.2011 at 02:20
Yeah, sort of. Not a big fan, but won't mind seeing an increase in number this year.
I wasn't implying that melodeath isn't good, but I'm getting tired with the sheer volume of it this year. I wouldn't mind seeing more releases of other genres I enjoy...or at least more quality melodeath releases.
That being said, I rated this about the same as Omnium Gatherum's latest, and that album seems to be getting praised across the web. Maybe more people should check these guys out in that case.
Your revelation makes it all the more interesting for me. I see you rated Amon Amarth's latest a lot higher than I would've expected, which I thought was gen-amoric as hell, but rated OG's latest a lot lower. Since I loved New World Shadows, it now becomes mandatory for me to check this one out. Thanks for that info.  |
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.05.2011 at 02:18
Written by MechanisT on 08.05.2011 at 02:15
lots of melodeath releases this year.
And not enough funeral doom.
Not to venture further off topic but you might like this http://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Century_Media_-_I_Heart_Funeral_Doom_-TS-/PKG000571
Anyway, the problem with melodeath these days is that it is getting stale. There aren't really many bands doing anything new with it. I don't know what it's going to take to do something innovative with the genre, but what was once one of my favorite genres is probably one of the one's I buy the fewest albums from now. There is just too much good black, doom and sludge metal now-a-days for me to care about melodeath. |
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There's never enough funeral doom...  |
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Written by Merchant of Doom on 08.05.2011 at 11:22
There's never enough funeral doom...
truest statement ever |
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 Kwis - 10.05.2011 at 19:46
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| Melodeath really seems stale as hell this year. Or, it could be that I've listened to too many melodic death albums the past few years. Anycase, I wouldn't mind something groundbreaking in the scene. |
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Written by Kwis on 10.05.2011 at 19:46
Melodeath really seems stale as hell this year. Or, it could be that I've listened to too many melodic death albums the past few years. Anycase, I wouldn't mind something groundbreaking in the scene.
I have yet to decide whether or not I've grown out of it altogether or if people are really overrating every release this year. Honestly 2011's melodeath albums have been average at best. |
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