STILL REMAINS
"Of
Love and Lunacy" (Roadrunner; 2005)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
When you crack open "Of Love and Lunacy" for the first time, and you listen to the opening sequence of "To Live And Die By Fire," the sound pouring out your speakers may appear as if you've stumbled on yet another fine Swedish metal export ... but this versatile sextet hails from Grand Rapids, MI.
The outfit's debut 12-track offering is a scathing mixture of blistering guitars, belligerent vocals, tight breakdowns, and lush keyboards. Songs like "The Worst is Yet to Come" and "White Walls" create a scenario that intertwines the current American metal exposition with a discernibly European metal vibe. Not unlike bands such as Soilwork, In Flames, and Trivium, Still Remains pour on the melodic thrash metal hooks, yet weave these intricate guitar riffs with startling stop-start rhythms and memorable metalcore choruses that beg for group participation.
Meshing the sounds of Killswitch Engage, Thrice, and Shadows Fall into a cohesive package, Still Remains has all of the faculties to be the breakout metal band of 2005.
For more information, check out www.stillremains.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 © 2005 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 16 Dec 2024 12:46:35 -0500.
