Among others a strong work ethic is crucial to survive in the modern day world of the music industry. Having released their massive Live DVD/CD combo earlier this year it would seem that our Swede’s weren’t quite content at leaving it there. With a charged discography Soilwork begin to usher in their new era with their brand new full length The Ride Majestic.
[tracklist]
1. The Ride Majestic
2. Alight In The Aftermath
3. Death In General
4. Enemies In Fidelity
5. Petrichor By Sulphur
6. The Phantom
7. The Rid
e Majestic (Aspire Angelic)
8. Whirl Of Pain
9. All Along Echoing Paths
10. Shining Lights
11. Father And Som Watching The World Go Down
[/tracklist]
[details]
[length]Enter album length here[/length]
[record_label]Nuclear Blast Records[/record_label]
[release_date]August 28th 2015[/release_date]
[/details]
The hey days of the mid 2000’s saw the birth of the wave of Metalcore or NWAHM. Having always borrowed elements from it’s sister genre Melodic Death Metal recently we have been seeing the demise of all too many a band. Though Soilwork have their feet firmly rooted in Melodic Death Metal, using ingredients that we have seen attempted by the same strand of bands to be fruitlessly created time and time again. It seems ironic that among their fallen comrades the band stand defiantly.
The slow nurturing of opening title track “The Ride Majestic” sets the scene perfectly for the overall tone of the album. Exploding through the speakers with an uplifting yet simultaneously heavy driving riff, the band are here pulling all the punches. With many bands having died out in the extinction era that has been recent years the empowering choruses of “Death In General” kicking off with an almost Bond like introduction.
“The Phantom” strikes a particular chord. Containing even slight Black Metal tendencies the song blisters past with tremolo and blast beats abound, not relenting until the colourful solo after the Devin Townsend like crooning. Before a mid section featuring the appearance of a more pronounced than usual keyboard before launching straight back into a beautifully crafted solo. With interesting melodic patterns that most would believe had long since died out.
Most of the album follows suit to this aesthetic, the marching riffs of “All Along Echoing Paths” shows where some of the singer Bjorn “Speed” Strid’s strengths lie and ultimately pull together to form a fantastic track. Adding those quintessential harmonies make the already strong track Ironbound. Though at times the change in key can seem slightly jarring their follow thigh neatly places the, into the song.
Although the band might be technical they do not forget the most important piece of writing, the song. As many bands in the modern day aim to try and perfect their instrumentation the proof of “Shining Lights” shows that the band are seasoned masters of their instruments but never let it overshadow the presence of the song itself.
The band have also seemingly mastered the art of creating incredibly cheesy sounding yeah’s! to actually benefit the feel of the album itself. Something that should on paper sound terrible is anything but. Perhaps one of the best encapsulations of the Soilwork sound exhibited on “Father And Son Watch The World Go Down“, fluctuating throughout the track goes through the Melodic motions before its darkening finish bringing the latest chapter in the Soilwork saga to mournful end.
Creating a diverse record that neither force feeds the listener melody or aims push heaviness down your throat. Make no mistake there isn’t much proven ground here, but then the band have always been a Ronseal band. Soilwork have come together to bring an album that sounds fresh yet is still unmistakably a band that knows exactly where to be. Does exactly what it says on the tin.
[verdict]Yes[/verdict]
[why]In an age where so many bands from the same team are becoming stale and ultimately left in the past, with The Ride Majestic Soilwork are hurtling into the future sounding better than ever.[/why]
If you like what you read / heard then you can pick up Soilwork’s brand new album here!
