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BELIEVER
"Transhuman" (Metal Blade; 2011)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
One of the pioneers of progressive death metal alongside Cynic and Athiest, Pennsylvania’s Believer follow up their comeback album "Gabriel" two years later with "Transhuman," a 12-track affair that marks this quartet’s quest for excellence.
Diminishing their thrashier elements in favor of a pronounced technically advanced progressive metal attack complete with a rash of keyboard and synth accoutrements (“Currents”) and a wealth of discernibly cleaner vocals that will leave long time fans surprised, this squad blends their sense of adventure into their forward-thinking metallic arsenal like never before to develop a new level of intrigue within their already challenging music.
But fret not, Believer still showcases the wares to hammer out gnarly old school thrash when necessary (“Clean Room”), just not as often as some of their earlier works or as rabid fans may approve of. Nonetheless, Believer maintains an undeniable sense of heaviness (“Being No One”) while enjoying the luxury to go off on tangents and discover new musical directions to share with their loyal fan base, demonstrating another successful shift from a band that perennially aims to go above and beyond their prior offerings.
For more information, check out http://www.believerband.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 © 2011 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
18 Nov 2024 12:18:25 -0500.
