01. Open The Gates Of Hell 02. Say Hello To The Undertaker 03. Sewer Mouth 04. Left For Dead 05. One Foot In The Grave 06. Time To Reap 07. United Through Hatred 08. Good Ol' Fashion Bloodbath 09. No Man Is My Master 10. Snake Eyes
With metal like this, who needs pop music?
Now, I'm hardly a fan of deathcore. It is irresponsible of any music fan to write off a genre entirely, and I try to avoid this; it's just that I've found very few reasons to give deathcore much of my time. For this same reason, it would be inappropriate under most circumstances for me to review a deathcore album, since I am almost guaranteed to dislike it. Winds Of Plague, however, apparently play something called "symphonic deathcore," which is an interesting enough label that I could give it a fair shot. In the spirit of expanding my horizons, I listened.
What this so-called "symphonic deathcore" entails are a few passages here and there that leave me with vague impressions of Septicflesh or Fleshgod Apocalypse, but which are never developed to fruition. Just as the piano is in the midst of constructing that elegant, gothic feeling that it so well exudes when paired with dark atmosphere and especially heavy guitars, the song breaks down into a breakdown. Now and then some violin-ish keyboards cut across the chugging to do their thing, and you get the occasional choral effect, but at most it's a seconds-long passage in the background that often does not coalesce well. "Open The Gates Of Hell" had me going for a minute; it starts out with a promising intro, perhaps the only piece of music on this album I would call legitimately symphonic - but then the chugging kicks in. As per the rules of deathcore, Winds Of Plague have allotted themselves two chords for the majority of the album. Some songs have a more hardcore feeling, with raw-throated self-aggrandizing taking precedence over death growls in places.
As far as I can tell, this album's most positive quality is that it is short. To be fair, though, there were several parts that I enjoyed. "Say Hello To The Undertaker" has a pretty cool chorus, and there is actually some pleasing guitar work to be found on songs like that and "United Through Hatred." Yes, most of the guitar is the typical chugging on open strings until people pay attention, but there are a couple of refreshing solos and some riffs that probably overdrew deathcore's collective creativity bank. If they developed these parts more, the music would stand out much more and be well worth a few spins.
Winds Of Plague is not the worst deathcore band out there. "Say Hello To The Undertaker," "Snake Eyes," and "Left For Dead" are not half-bad. I question the accuracy of the term "symphonic deathcore"; what this sounds like is basically "deathcore with keyboards." Is that the only requirement for something to be "symphonic"? Perhaps to some, but I was expecting more variety in song structure. Resistance is in some ways better than I was expecting, but in some ways worse. Overall, it's not terrible, but I do believe that once is enough.
It's bands like Winds of Plague that give deathcore the bad reputation it's gotten over the years. There are some seriously talented deathcore bands, most of which don't make a failure of an attempt at "symphonic metal", but for some strange reason these are the bands that find themselves with strong financial and tour support from big labels.
You describe the album pretty well overall - nice review. I personally think this is worse than a 5.6, but I'm glad you didn't have as bad a time listening to it as I did.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Unless WoP massively changed style over the course of time, it is an absolutely bullshit claim to compare this to pop music, or I have no idea what you meant with the opening statement.
Whatever is people's opinions on the genre, it is a form of extreme metal and actual deathcore has as much to do with pop music as Immolation.
But yeah unless they really stepped up their game here which I doubt on prejudice, this isn't very good.
For good symphonic deathcore, check out Make Them Suffer, The Breathing Process, Ovid's Withering or Betraying The Martyrs.
The Breathing Process is a lot like MTS, but less -core, well at least their second album, if I remember well their first is identical to MTS in stylistic terms.
And this is truly truly great imo, would be disappointed if this wasn't nominated for the MS Awards.
Betraying The Martyrs is not that good and not that symphonic (has mostly different kind of electronic leanings) but still is a much nicer listen than most of WoP.
Unless WoP massively changed style over the course of time, it is an absolutely bullshit claim to compare this to pop music, or I have no idea what you meant with the opening statement.
Whatever is people's opinions on the genre, it is a form of extreme metal and actual deathcore has as much to do with pop music as Immolation.
I'm not saying that it sounds like pop music, because it doesn't (although given the almost-mainstream success of a lot of deathcore bands, I would still say it is fairly commercial-sounding); I'm saying that it is similar to pop music in that it is boring, repetitive, lyrically feeble, and appeals strongly to teenagers who fancy themselves misunderstood.
I agree, as you could probably tell, that this isn't very good.
I dont find much difference between WoP and Despised Icon to be honest. Both bands swung their awful records time to time supported by intolerable and bushy fans. New WoP is indeed awful and doesn't sound anything remotely close to "Symphonic". Its hyyyype!.
Nice review. As it said, ratings could have been worse than 5.6.
I dont find much difference between WoP and Despised Icon to be honest. Both bands swung their awful records time to time supported by intolerable and bushy fans. New WoP is indeed awful and doesn't sound anything remotely close to "Symphonic". Its hyyyype!.
Nice review. As it said, ratings could have been worse than 5.6.
Despised Icon's music is actually pretty technical, they are part of the canadan tech death metal scene for good reason.
In addition, Despised Icon's breakdowns' make sense as opposed to putting them in random places like WoP. Despised Icon's breakdowns' are also pretty varied with many of them sounding totally different, and the band's use of dynamics is exceptional. Despised Icon also has good lyrics as opposed to the immature tough guy drivel WoP is doing.
I'm saying that it is similar to pop music in that it is boring, repetitive, lyrically feeble, and appeals strongly to teenagers who fancy themselves misunderstood.
I'm saying that it is similar to pop music in that it is boring, repetitive, lyrically feeble, and appeals strongly to teenagers who fancy themselves misunderstood.
I dont find much difference between WoP and Despised Icon to be honest. Both bands swung their awful records time to time supported by intolerable and bushy fans. New WoP is indeed awful and doesn't sound anything remotely close to "Symphonic". Its hyyyype!.
Nice review. As it said, ratings could have been worse than 5.6.
Despised Icon's music is actually pretty technical, they are part of the canadan tech death metal scene for good reason.
and the band's use of dynamics is exceptional. Despised Icon also has good lyrics as opposed to the immature tough guy drivel WoP is doing.
Despised Icon is miles better than this band.
I don't care whether they're part of Canadian tech death metal scene or not. You'll shit loads of band from various geners who's part of their respective scenes. No big deal.
I find DI to be totally average from wasted talents. As i said, WoP and DI weigh on same weighing scale. I listened the debut of DI and it was totally worthless and shut off the album half way through. It could be in your favourites, no problem. But rooting against average band won't change the description of the band.
I don't care whether they're part of Canadian tech death metal scene or not. You'll shit loads of band from various geners who's part of their respective scenes. No big deal.
I find DI to be totally average from wasted talents. As i said, WoP and DI weigh on same weighing scale. I listened the debut of DI and it was totally worthless and shut off the album half way through. It could be in your favourites, no problem. But rooting against average band won't change the description of the band.
Except everything besides enjoyment is objective or semi-objective here.
If you do not hear any differences between DI and WoP in terms of composition, riff structures, the type of riffs they play and the type of dynamics they use, you are deaf mate.
If you don't enjoy DI that's your issue I don't care about it, but they are compositional geniuses compared to Winds of Plague and also WoP which barely use any actual DM elements, DI is chock full with actual tech death riffs.
Also the first DI album is quite primitive compared to the rest. Ills of the Modern Man is where the real stuff is.