Modernity can be a truly wondrous ideal. The ability to instantly connect to whatever or whomever you wish to when you’re half way around the other side of the world is something only that we would have dreamt of in the future. Nevertheless as with many things, it can be a double edged sword. With the advent of technology, we are becoming far too reliant on being connected, to the point where we are sadly just a mirage of what people deem to be connected.
[tracklist]
- Vivid
- Century of The Narcissist?
- The Aura
- This Ship Has Sailed
- Weavers of Woe
- Cracks Of Light
- Golden Cufflinks
- The Moon’s Been Gone For Hours
- Riddles of Humanity
- Ride The Illusion
- When It Rains
[/tracklist]
[details]
[length]60:00[/length]
[record_label]Millenium Night[/record_label]
[release_date]June 2nd 2017[/release_date]
[/details]
Returning in 2015, Sikth cracked the Progressive world right open with their Opacities EP. After a ten year hiatus the band had once more come out to play, fast forward to June 2017 and the band have brought together a fully fledged album. The first release to ever feature without the vocal stylings of long time screamer Justin Hill, the world is definitely changing. In keeping with the theme of technology, The Future In Whose Eyes? largely deals with modern day society and our attachment to the immaterial world the likes of Facebook.
Building from the foundations that were laid on Opacities, Sikth have continued down a more melodic pathway. Not quite as technical as predecessor Death of A Dead Day, instead there is more focus on melody. The likes of album opener and instant hit “Vivid” sees frontman Mikee Goodman place the listener in a state of nightmare. The man’s almost trademark demented rambling style of vocal is even more prominent on the album now. With the record containing three spoken word passages, something that at first I felt was selfish on the singer’s part however with further listening have become some of my favourite elements of the record. Showcasing Goodman’s aptitude for the spoken word piece but more on that later. However where its songwriting concerned the band shine through with a technicolour sheen. The beautiful streetlights of “The Aura” bring this idea of modernity brought into the fore with signature style tapping at its centre before a bouncing main verse riff.
Featuring their very first guest vocal spot, following an incredibly successful US tour together the band invited Periphery belter Spencer Sotelo on album highlight “Cracks of Light”. Understanding all three vocalists approach and utilising them to create a broad palette its one of the best tracks on the album. The industrial din of “No Wishbones” defiantly stamps its mark on the Tech Metal community working wonderfully following the maelstrom of riffing that is “Riddles of Humanity” where the band go full turbo. Perhaps somewhat hogging the limelight somewhat, theres no denying that Goodman’s Jekyll and Hyde style vocals as Korn-esque as they might sound are total genius.
From the violent vocal jerking in “Ride The Illusion” alluding to a sense of the feral when complimented against the slightly more tame melodic reach of new singer Joe Rosser. The combination of both vocalists create a perfect juxtaposition between the mechanical and organic too! Some of the albums finest moments come in the form of the post apocalyptic “The Moon’s Been Gone For Hours” and in particularly “This Ship Has Sailed”. Acting almost as a narrator, these spoken word sections create a sense of resolve for each of the three acts seen in The Future Through Whose Eyes? Diligently vetted, every word is chosen taking into account its syllables, correlation with its previous and following words and enunciation something that makes it almost a mini performance in itself and creating a frankly startling gaze into our future. Its clear that Sikth have moved theircever watchful eye towards the era where Instagram likes govern and Facebook shares rule, with the fantastically put together “Century Of The Narcissist?” you would be hard pushed to not agree. Sikth revolutionised the future of Metal once before with their eponymous release The Trees Are Dead And Dried Out Wait For Something Wild and now many years later have ushered in their new era with an omnipresent understanding in tow. Begging the question of whether or not technology is actually our hallowed saviour The Future In Whose Eyes? is absolutely fantastic showcasing Sikth at their best.
[verdict]Yes[/verdict]
[why]Returning with their first full length in years and the first without a key vocalist, Sikth have proven why they were pioneers of the genre all over again with a fitting commentary on humanity in tow.[/why]
Sikth’s brand new album The Future In Whose Eyes? is set for a June 2nd release via their new label imprint Millennium Night.
