SUNRISE
"Traces to Nowhere" (Lifeforce; 2005)
Reviewed by Snidermann
My stance on screaming, unintelligible vocals tends to differ from release to release. I like some and I dislike others and that's all there is to it.
When I got "Traces to Nowhere" from Polish rockers Sunrise -- and I discovered they were on Lifeforce Records -- I knew I was in for a ride and I was right. The musical presentation is tight, intense and full of life. However, the vocals are one-dimensional and do not change from song to song. Sadly, this seems to grind at the listener and eventually brings the entire project down.
Still, after a few cuts, I actually started to get used to the vocals (I couldn't understand a fucking word anyway) and began to enjoy the music for what it was. Rough and raw vocals aside, "Traces to Nowhere" still kicked my ass.
If I was judging "Traces to Nowhere" on just one or two songs, the score would be lower. But, eventually, I either became accustomed to the vocals or they didn't seem so bad. Either way, after hearing the entire CD a few times, I decided that Sunrise deserves the higher score.
For more information, check out http://www.sunriseblast.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.