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Threat Signal - Under Reprisal
Release: 2006Label: [link]Nuclear Blast[/link]
By: Anders
Posted: May 26, 2006
A new force is about to enter the metal scene with a big bang, Threat Signal hails from Ontario, Canada and this is their debut full length and one of the bright hopes of the future, according to Nuclear Blast, and the band itself of course. The band's first demo "Rational Eyes" has been getting a lot of praise and the band has received a good deal of awards for it. Though Canada isn't big enough for such a band, so Nuclear Blast has signed the band and they are now ready to conquer the world.
Modern metal would be a fitting description of the music, but what does that cover. A furious blend of melodic death metal and ripping thrash riffs. Drumming and breaks not that far from what made Fear Factory big back in the days and a varied vocal effort. The song writing is quite varied, even though many things go again through out the albums, there are many heavy and groovy hooks and catchy melodies, which more or less are the band's trademark. The machine-gun-fire like kick-drums is another thing that is used a lot, and due to the production of them, a bit artificial and the way they are played, they reminds me a lot of Fear Factory, as some other elements do. The vocals go from a vicious and angry growl/scream to a more thrash-like vocal, to heartfelt clean vocals, Threat Signal has it all.
The album has been produced by Christian Olde Wolbers, which might be able to explain the Fear Factory sounding production once in a while. Though he has done a good job, and has given the band a thick and heavy sound, with a good and crushing bottom, really driving the music out of the speakers.
I'm sure this album will hit it right with most fans of modern metal. It has elements from melodic death metal/metal core, it has pieces of nu-metal and it has bits and pieces of samples and atmospheric keys. The music is heavy, but still has calm and "beautiful" moments. The band has been out looking for the best from most of the popular bands from the last 5 years and has boiled their own soup on it. You can trace many parts of the music back to other bands, though the music is somewhat still Threat Signal's own and the music on "Under Reprisal" shows that the band should have a great future ahead of them. Though some time I'd wish that the band didn't pull their atmospheric pieces as long as they do, as the end of 'Inane', which keeps on too long and becomes pretty meaningless. That happens a couple of times, be it melodies, acoustic pieces or electronically elements. Though that aside the Canadians have delivered a pretty hard hitting album and are ready to compete with Shadows Fall, God Forbid, Soilwork and Fear Factory in a not so distant future.
Modern metal would be a fitting description of the music, but what does that cover. A furious blend of melodic death metal and ripping thrash riffs. Drumming and breaks not that far from what made Fear Factory big back in the days and a varied vocal effort. The song writing is quite varied, even though many things go again through out the albums, there are many heavy and groovy hooks and catchy melodies, which more or less are the band's trademark. The machine-gun-fire like kick-drums is another thing that is used a lot, and due to the production of them, a bit artificial and the way they are played, they reminds me a lot of Fear Factory, as some other elements do. The vocals go from a vicious and angry growl/scream to a more thrash-like vocal, to heartfelt clean vocals, Threat Signal has it all.
The album has been produced by Christian Olde Wolbers, which might be able to explain the Fear Factory sounding production once in a while. Though he has done a good job, and has given the band a thick and heavy sound, with a good and crushing bottom, really driving the music out of the speakers.
I'm sure this album will hit it right with most fans of modern metal. It has elements from melodic death metal/metal core, it has pieces of nu-metal and it has bits and pieces of samples and atmospheric keys. The music is heavy, but still has calm and "beautiful" moments. The band has been out looking for the best from most of the popular bands from the last 5 years and has boiled their own soup on it. You can trace many parts of the music back to other bands, though the music is somewhat still Threat Signal's own and the music on "Under Reprisal" shows that the band should have a great future ahead of them. Though some time I'd wish that the band didn't pull their atmospheric pieces as long as they do, as the end of 'Inane', which keeps on too long and becomes pretty meaningless. That happens a couple of times, be it melodies, acoustic pieces or electronically elements. Though that aside the Canadians have delivered a pretty hard hitting album and are ready to compete with Shadows Fall, God Forbid, Soilwork and Fear Factory in a not so distant future.
Rating: 6½/10
[link]Threat Signal[/link] website
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