UNBOWED - Through Endless Tides

June 26, 2017, 6 years ago

(Independent)

Nick Balazs

Rating: 6.5

review black death heavy metal unbowed

UNBOWED - Through Endless Tides

Canadian metallers Unbowed are back with their second album, the follow-up to 2014’s Collapse The World debut. It’s best to describe these guys as modern symphonic melodic death metal, but unfortunately with some –core influences. 

Opener “Mountaincarver” moves at a bruising pace, but the clean vocals that screech in break the momentum from an otherwise impressive 8+ minute track. The tides of the first half of the album move along at a plodding pace which is fine enough, but the use of clean singing aside from the guttural vocals detracts from the compositions. The symphonics don’t take a front of the line approach; they are mostly used in the background to accent the music. “The Discordant Ascent Of A Drowned God” finally shatters the monotony with some fiery solos (there are not a lot of solos) and fierce rhythms and I’m asking myself “where has this been?” The second half Through Endless Tides picks up by utilizing riffs to sink your teeth into (“Dreaming Of The Deep”) and by embracing some black metal (“Bleak Ulutations”).

The second half of Through Endless Tides saves this tread of symphonic melo-death from being a disaster. The guys need to nail down a sound and just go with it. Getting rid of the clean vocals would do wonders and having more guitar solos would help to! The lead guitarist brings in some tasteful solos when given the chance; let him do more! Unbowed has the talent to do something great in the metal world; this one’s not it, but I’m interested to see what they have in store for the future. 

 



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