Alchemist
- Austral Alien (Relapse)
Bob Ignizio - www.uttertrash.net
This took a few spins for me to get into, but the fact
that it intrigued me enough to go to the trouble in the
first place says a lot. This band showspromise, and if
you're a fan of progressive leaning hard rock/metal youshould
give this a listen. This may be on Relapse, but if you're
looking for
an extreme thrash fest this isn't it. Overall Alchemist
has an original sound that reminds me a bit of Amorphis
and 'Space Bandits'/'Xenon Codex' period Hawkwind without
sounding like a rip-off of either of those bands. The
vocals alternate between a laid back "clean"
voice and a more aggressive style of singing that reminds
me of Paradise Lost. The lyrics are well written and deal
with environmental concerns, contemplation of impending
death, and (as the title of the album suggests) space
aliens. The songs are good and the instrumental portions
kept my interest with creative arrangements and good riffs.
Stand out tracks for me were "Solarburn", "Older
than the Ancients", "Nature on a Leash",
and "Letter to the Future". I do like this album
but I have to say I wish the vocals were a bit more interesting.
They aren't bad, just a bit on the bland side. That minor
complaint aside, this is well worth checking out.
Bob Ignizio
www.uttertrash.net
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