ANTITHESIS
"Dying
For Life" (Nightmare Records; 2001)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
I first saw Antithesis perform at the 2000 PowerMad festival. I was able to keep Antithesis in the forefront of my listening experiences because of a number of tracks that appeared on various sampler CDs that I'd managed to come into contact with over the last few years. It seems like I've waited a long time to hear new material from the band. And, lo and behold, "Dying For Life" came to me like a lost child begging to be listened to.
I'm finding it hard to find the right words to describe "Dying For Life." Not that it leaves me 'speechless' or anything like that. All I know is that I keep listening to "Dying For Life" without any desire to put it away. In "Dying For Life," Antithesis have a firm grip on traditional metal's gift for power, progressive metal's penchant for stellar songwriting, the songwriting chops of Chuck Schuldiner, and the confidence and bravado due to an abundance of technical skills. By combining these elements, along with a nod to thrash metal, Antithesis create a magnificent journey through vivid landscapes.
Thankfully, the lyrics are well-above average. There are no simplistic rants here. It's obvious that lots of time and care went into the lyrics - the band uses a number of writers which provides a lot of different perspectives.
The bottom line is that "Dying For Life" is a solid disc all the way through. It's a good thing when a band's record survives multiple, consecutive listens from this reviewer - and very few bands achieve that exalted air in my opinion.
Fans of Jag Panzer and Iced Earth who don't mind a little progressive touches to their thrashy, heavy metal will appreciate Antithesis. Antithesis' "Dying For Life" is highly recommended!
"Dying For Life" was produced by Sean Perry.
Antithesis is Ty Cook on vocals, Sean Perry on guitars and vocals, Paul Konjicija on guitars and synth, James Lewis on bass, and Paul Kostyack on drums.
For more information visit http://www.antithesismusic.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2003 by R.
Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
Revised:
26 Sep 2022 13:20:31 -0400 .
