Band:	Crystalic
Album:	Watch Us Deteriorate
Style:	Melodic death metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Blackened Image
02. Severe Punishment
03. Defiance Of Supremacy
04. Faith Redefined
05. Host Machine
06. Dead Cold Emotion
07. Soulstabbed
08. Worlds Collide
09. Existence Terminated

Crystalic comes from Finland and was formed in 1998 by the guitarist Toni Tieaho. Unfortunately, and in reason of some line-up changes, the band didn't have the chance to release their album before 2007. Finally "Watch Us Deteriorate" is out through the French label Thundering Records and well, if I will not talk about a genius album, I have to admit that we're in front of a nice first album.

The band pretends that they play Progressive Melodic Death Metal but it's not so easy to find a lot of real progressive touches in "Watch Us Deteriorate" and I think that technical Melodic Death Metal could be a better name. Like with a lot of other bands from Finland, Crystalic plays "melodic" Metal but evidently here, we're not in front of a new Sonata Arctica. Crystalic plays Death Metal which is not so far away of the Gothenburg scene (a bit like in Flames with their first albums) with the principal difference that the songs are technical and complex and that the guitarists play some outstanding guitars soli. Too bad that the band didn't try to do something a bit more "Prog" because I think that it can be a good way to be "different" nowadays and at the opposite "Watch Us Deteriorate" sounds a bit more like a classic Melodic Death album.

The main problem of "Watch Us Deteriorate" comes from the fact that the band didn't take a lot of risks with this release. It's well done, we have some good songs that's right, but we don't have anything special too. The album is all but not unpleasant but I would like to see a lot more in this kind of releases. If Crystalic really wants to find success and become an important Metal act, they will have to add something else to their next album. However, don't believe that "Watch Us Deteriorate" is a bad album, especially for a first one. The performance of the musicians is more than promising, the production is good well, it's just a matter of time I think. With some time and experience the second album of the combo should be something.

If you like Melodic Death Metal and want good musicianship abilities, have a look on "Watch Us Deteriorate". The first album of the Finnish combo is not perfect but it's already promising for the career of the band. The guys of Crystalic just have to prove now that they're able to confirm these hopes with their next album and maybe that they will become an important band of the scene.