The Unseen Empire

The Unseen Empire is in no way the return to form it is being lauded as, mainly because there is no real form to return to. It is just more of the same from Scar Symmetry, only without Älvestam's soothing-as-hell vocals. His departure should have sounded the group's death knell immediately, but the band proved me wrong here by putting out something at least on par with Holographic Universe.

To address the elephant in the room: No, Palmqvist is in no way an apt replacement for Älvestam. This doesn't necessarily mean one should disregard him on principle alone, as he still has a throaty somber inflection that fits quite well with the darker atmosphere being conveyed here. Karlsson's guttural bellowing is pretty faceless and comes off as a very forced attempt at keeping the whole ordeal extreme enough to warrant the death metal tag. Seriously, Scar Symmetry is at their best when they play up their melodic, poppy disposition. This is naturally most evident on the opener, "The Anomaly". I'm not even kidding, it sounds like a Hawthorne Heights song with more spirited leads and occasional death grunts. The chorus is infectious, even if it still falls short of the sticky appeal of "Morphogenesis".

The most intriguing thing is that while the rest of the album is primarily in the heavier style that the band often phones in, it isn't nearly as offensive this time around. The compositions have naturally evolved quite a bit, with a significantly smaller keyboard presence alongside a more spastic inclination to the solos. During some songs like "Astronomicon" the band plays it a bit too safe, trying to spawn some bizarre new hybrid out of the spacey synths and grooving riffs. The dearth of keyboard textures also means that they are a lot less irritating, even if the band still uses some of the same twinkling esoteric keyboard passages that brought down the title track from Holographic Universe.

The Unseen Empire really begins to slide into it's comfort zone as it nears it's conclusion, albeit far too late to salvage the proceedings entirely. The clean tones that open up "Rise of the Reptilian Regime" is decent experimenting, and "The Draconian Arrival" is a solid mid-paced number with some spirited leadwork. I am also quite fond of "Domination Agenda" despite it's otherwise fetid stop-start verses; the chorus is it's saving grace. The album naturally sounds very slick, as per Kjellgren's quality production style. Seil's bass tends to get buried more often than it should, but he does have a decent clangy tone when it can be heard. The chunky distortion of the guitars is fitting of the futuristic subject matter, and the leads have a peaky bite to them. The band must save a lot of money by having their guitarist produce their albums, and with how good The Unseen Empire sounds, more power to them.

Even while it ends on a meandering note in "Alpha and Omega", Scar Symmetry is far from uttering their extinction mantra here on The Unseen Empire. It isn't an exhausting ordeal, clocking in at just over forty minutes. It makes a strong-enough case for the band's continued existence, which is about all us or they can hope for at this point.

Dark Matter Dimensions was a throw back for most fans. While critically praised for its technicality and much stronger progressive approach when compared to their previous albums, most fans generally considered it a colossal flop. Christian had just left the band, they'd recruited two vocalists to replace him, and Dark Matter Dimensions was their album to show they had made the right choice. Unfortunately, it did little to help their cause. While I am one of the few fans who genuinely enjoyed Dark Matter Dimensions, and indeed liked its more technical approach, I must admit it left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. It was not the Scar Symmetry I loved. Holographic Universe had become my favorite album of all time (an honor it currently still holds), and Dark Matter Dimensions showed a fairly radical shift in sound.

This is not Dark Matter Dimensions. The Unseen Empire scores where Dark Matter Dimensions failed: powerful, melody-driven music with a brutal dynamic to somehow make it seem even heavier than it actually is. This is the album Scar Symmetry fans have been waiting for, and it showcases some monstrous talent from both vocalists. Lars sounds so amazing, the void left by Christian and felt during Dark Matter Dimensions is now filled to the point I don't even miss Christian anymore. The overall sound is much akin to their first three albums, though admittedly there are fewer progressive moments in here. Where the progressive tendencies kick in (strongly in "Illuminoid Dream Sequence," "Astronomicon," and "The Draconian Arrival"), however, they are used to amazing effect, conjuring some of the best moments of the album.

Most importantly, this album succeeds in the same areas that Holographic Universe succeeded in. This creates a sound that is occasionally familiar - sometimes it's a little bit too familiar, but fortunately it never feels overly familiar. This is not to say they aren't doing anything new here either - for example, "Illuminoid Dream Sequence" is laced with industrial elements; odd at first, it quickly feels right at home with the rest of their music. "The Draconian Arrival" even creates a symphonic sound half way through the song, which only helps add to the "horror" aura.

The overall musicianship here is absolutely fantastic, as can be expected. The guitar solos are worth particular note for me. I've often found Scar Symmetry guitar solos to be excessive, and they some times seemed thrown in just for the sake of including a guitar solo, without much thought behind it. This does not exist in The Unseen Empire (not for me, at least); each solo fits in well with the respective song, and they are pure pleasure to hear. The guitar work in general is very impressive on this entire album, though. There's a bit too much "chug" at times, but on average the riffs are very creative and enjoyable.

The drums are done so well it always seems mechanical. Every beat works perfectly and fits in without seeming unnecessarily out of place. Unfortunately, the bass (as always) seems to serve little purpose other than to add atmosphere to the music. It's generally very difficult to notice, and that's a great shame, because I think some more wild bass riffs (the way someone like Steve DiGiorgio would do) would add a lot to not just this album, but Scar Symmetry's music in general.

Vocally, everything here is a big improvement from Dark Matter Dimensions. The melodies delivered here by Lars are top notch and some of the best Scar Symmetry has to offer. Lars has a deeper voice than Christian had; where he seemed to be trying to copy Christian on DMD, he finally is doing his own thing for (most of) this album, and he does it very well. Roberth is as great as always, delivering some brutally powerful growls that definitely would make anyone forget about Christian. No change from DMD, because he was great there too.

"The Draconian Arrival" serves as the top song of the album, because it fills all of the roles you'd want out of a Scar Symmetry song. It has an incredibly catchy and powerful melody, strong technical (yet catchy) riffs during the verses, and a slight bit of experimentation to make it sound "fresh." Lars's singing is beyond amazing, and Roberth's growling adds a feeling to the song that cannot be denied. Perhaps most importantly, it shows off one of the best choruses Scar Symmetry has ever done. It's a chorus worthy of the same accolades given to songs such as "The Illusionist" and "Ghost Prototype II - Deus Ex Machina." Not only does it work as the best song on the album, but it's at least one of the best songs in their entire discography.

That said, "Domination Agenda" and "Astronomicon" serve as the two best songs outside of "The Draconian Arrival" for me. "Domination Agenda" sounds like a blend of NWOBHM and power metal, with a single growled bridge (a genre not foreign to Scar Symmetry - "Timewave Zero" is effectively the same type of blend, and several other songs of theirs have shown a power metal influence). It delivers fantastic melodies that are easy to relax to, and they'll potentially get stuck in your head for weeks. It's not exactly complex, but it caters very well to the "sophisticated catchy" of Scar Symmetry. It shows off what is perhaps Lars's best vocal moments on the album, along with those of "The Draconian Arrival," and gives us one of the best choruses Scar Symmetry have ever done, while still having very powerful verses. To top it off, it also has perhaps the best solo on the album. "Astronomicon" is really not much more than the typical progressive influenced melodic death metal song Scar Symmetry is great at creating, but it accomplishes that sound the way only they can, and perhaps better than they ever have. The riffs are phenomenal, and the song gives us a little more complex structure that would be welcome in more songs of theirs. I must put emphasis on how great the duet is between Roberth and Lars during the chorus.

Perhaps the best part of the album, however, is that every song on here is great. Unlike their past albums, where I felt that each one had at least one song that didn't really fit in, every song here fits in perfectly and adds to the whole. There are no filler songs, or even filler moments for that matter. Everything works, and it works well too. Songs like "The Anomaly" and "Alpha and Omega" are effectively anthems that seem built around sweeping choruses, but they're done so well I cannot deny their attraction. "Illuminoid Dream Sequence" is incredibly mellow yet abrasive at the same time in a way Scar Symmetry have never done. It's atmospheric, progressive, and something that can be enjoyed as background music, but still interesting enough to wrap one's head around if one so desires. It's a unique experience with odd riffs, but it's definitely there right below "Astronomicon." "Extinction Mantra" is almost the opposite though; it's very groove oriented, and more about the vibe. It's not a lot to be intellectualized, but more to feel. Again, it gives us a fantastic chorus that I was singing to myself for a long time after. "Seers of the Eschaton" is easily the album's heaviest song, but still is a lot about the groove. Roberth shows off his best moments on the album in this song though. "Rise of the Reptilian Regime" is again a bit more proggy, but the prog elements inevitably take a backseat to the amazing melody given by Lars. It seems like no band can create vocal melodies the way Scar Symmetry can.

Lyrically, the album is experimental as well. Henrik Ohlsson (the drummer and lyricist) decided to ditch the complicated science based lyrics found especially on the last two albums, and replaced it with a conspiracy based concept album. The subject matter is effectively about the Illuminati, and all of it is highly inspired by David Icke. These concepts expressed here are not completely foreign to Scar Symmetry, however; "Slaves to the Subliminal" and "Retaliator," for example, approach the same topics which are expressed here. That said, it is definitely well written and works as interesting science-fiction for those who don't believe in it, and I'm sure it's a refreshing change for those who do believe in it.

Overall, this is an incredibly excellent album, and this is the album most people wanted Dark Matter Dimensions to be. Holographic Universe is still their crowning opus, but this fits right in under it as their second best release. This is my album of the year, and I strongly recommend this to any fan of metal, and definitely any fan of Scar Symmetry. The biggest flaw is that it's at least 1 track too short.

It's kind of sad really. Scar Symmetry had a lot of promise. They released three great albums of Gothenburg-styled melodeath early on last decade. Lead by the incredible vocal talents of Christian Alvestam and the songwriting skills of Jonas Kjellgren, Scar Symmetry blended styles of metal with a remarkable pop sensibility. Unfortunately, Alvestam was involved in a lot of other projects and was not interested in making Scar Symmetry his main band.

After Alvestam left, the band continued, bringing on two singers, one clean and the other extreme to make up for the loss of what Alvestam could do himself. The result was the lackluster Dark Matter Dimensions. I was hoping it was a misstep, one that would be corrected with time and a new album. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

The problem starts with the production. This is too polished to the point that it sounds sterile. There is no power to it. It is produced the way a pop album would be, which does not fit death metal, melodic or otherwise.

The songwriting is not impressive this time around either. There are a few decent tracks here, but it does not break any new ground. This album just recycles old ideas from prior Scar Symmetry albums. The songs have also lost a lot of the progressive structures that made the band's first three albums interesting. It's not that this is a bad album, it just is not what I hoped it would be.

When all is said and done, this is just a run of the mill melodeath album. Unfortunately, Scar Symmetry used to be so much more. It's kind of sad, really.

While Scar Symmetry's previous release, Dark Matter Dimensions, saw criticism for the instrumental section ("too technical", "not enough melody", etc), their newest release is very much in a different direction from the perceived general opinion on the previous album. The Unseen Empire offers plenty of melodic, heavy, and experimental musicianship, as typical of any Scar Symmetry release. Lars and Roberth offer top-notch vocals (arguably better than "that one guy" in some sections), and the instrumentation is very well coordinated. Every drum beat, every bass line, every guitar riff, and every guitar solo are coldly calculated to sound whatever the occasion may call for; discordance, smooth jazz-esque rhythms, chaos, even horror...there's plenty of "feeling" to be offered here.

Stylistically, this album was, surprisingly, a bit different than past Scar Symmetry releases, as omnipotent and varied as the band's music is known to be. There are some songs that embrace a rock theme (The Anomaly, Domination Agenda, the latter having a very interesting and melodious solo), while others go for the more experimental sound Scar Symmetry has a tendency to shoot for; namely, Illuminoid Dream Sequence (the album's sole carrier of blast beats) offers an odd but interesting chorus riff, while Extinction Mantra goes from slower paced heavy sections to melodic passages, to fast paced solos and bridges. Want a heavy song? Seers of the Eschaton, enough said. This song is loaded with double-bass, dual guitar solos, and even a most peculiar fusion between death metal and the thrashier elements of hardcore music, as heard in the verse riff and the bass interlude between the first chorus and the third verse. There's even a nice jazz-fusion solo in the middle (courtesy of Per Nilsson) to help make an atmosphere of hope and uncertainty amongst the chaotic and dark themes created by the heavier instrumental sections that dominate the majority of the song.

Then you have some songs that comprise of the style Scar Symmetry is generally known for: death metal fused with rock-like elements. Such songs (Astronomicon, Rise of the Reptilian Regime) are not as hard-hitting as the above-mentioned songs (in my opinion, atleast), but offer enough fight to render them a good listen. Unique to this album, however, are tracks that pursue a melodic edge while going for a horror theme (The Draconian Arrival). This is s sound never striven for by the band, but they pulled it off properly, as expected from a band of such omnipotence. Lastly, the album closes with "Alpha and Omega", which I'm not sure how to describe in words, but I will say it's not what you would expect from a closing track. The chorus features some soaring vocals from Lars, and the growls on Roberth's part are typical of his style.

All in all, this is a great album and I highly recommend it for fans of both the "old" Scar Symmetry (ie; when Christian Alvestam was in the band) and the "new" Scar Symmetry. The musicianship is far different from those who disliked the past album, but still retains the same essential principals of the entirety of the band's discography. My only complaint about this album is...I wish it had more than nine tracks.

When former vocalist Christian Älvestam left Scar Symmetry, things got a bit complicated for the band. Later on, when the Swedes announced the recruitment of two vocalists to replace said man, many became skeptical and finally Dark Matter Dimensions was released, an album that didn’t have many of the elements that made the band a well known reference when it comes to modern metal (lets say pop-like melodies and choruses). Some stuff worked, others didn’t, still the band got to consolidate its name as a driving force in the genre thanks to extensive touring and now, years later, The Unseen Empire arrived to establish order from chaos.

First of all, I like the album, you see, all the elements that didn’t quite work that well in Dark Matter Dimensions are here but this time everything is in such balance it’s almost perfect. Things like the lyrics were placed better in the songs and the vocal duos work better too (just check Domination Agenda). The guitar licks are not excessive and they’re well located throughout the album, it’s not like they’re trying to show everybody they are talented guys (we all know they are). In the end everything here works in order to build climax instead of just throwing a lick to achieve epic choruses.

Another important fact is that many of the elements lost with the departure of Christian Älvestam are back once again. The choruses are not so pop-like oriented but still the melodies are quite reminiscent of Pitch Black Progress, which is a good thing. Kudos to Lars Palmqvist cause he finally got to shine, his vocals work better when he doesn’t go high-pitch all the time, plus he did a catchy and soulful performance. The other side, Robban Karlsson, is for an obvious reason my favorite growler, he sounds mean and ferocious. I’d have loved to hear him more but still, he delivered exactly what I expected from him and that's ace guttural growling. Music-wise everything works just fine (as always) as these guys just don’t mess around when it comes to riffs, solos, and killer drumming. That sums it all up.

The last point I would like to dissect is the concept of this album, I dig cool concepts and here we have a really interesting one. The Unseen Empire talks about an elite group of reptilian beings and its world domination agenda, pretty much what David Icke has been saying for years already or what movies like John Carpenter’s They Live show. It’s a cool fact that the band is making a proper use of their good reputation to inform people about such crucial matters so check the lyrics for eye-opening facts about the world’s current issues (because, believe it or not, these are actual facts).

The Unseen Empire shows a band polishing their skills at such level it’s safe to say they’re at the peak of their game. They just got it all music-wise, plus a killer production and cool cd artwork. I recommend this to everyone out there with a taste for guitar-driven metal music and variety. From death to heavy metal, The Unseen Empire deliver the goods.

Scar Symmetry are another of the Swedish bands attempting to bridge the melodic death roots from which they've sprung with the commercially viable aesthetic of clean vocals, futurist lyrics and a progressive, groove metal leaning. Essentially, you take Soilwork's excellent Natural Born Chaos and expand upon the ideas there, increasing their latent complexity, and you wind up with something like The Unseen Empire. That said, it's more than obvious that this Swedish all-star act have spent considerable time composing their material for a balance of memorable chorus segments, pummeling chug breakdowns, well structured leads, and intricate faster paced melodic death/thrash riffs. It's a mesh that many will be loathe to even consider, others will revel in the unflinching 'forward thinking' of such an album.

I fall somewhere in the gray area between such poles. Surely, The Unseen Empire is a superior offering than anything this band has released to date. Albums like Pitch Black Progress or Dark Matter Dimensions left much to be desired, but I found myself nodding along and appreciating a few of the tracks here. Several of the mosh grooves here, like those found in the depths of "Extinction Mantra" or "Domination Agenda" are fortunately the exceptions to the rule, and most of the disc spends its time distributed through the glossy chorus melodies and half-interesting guitars. Despite the formulaic feeling of the grunted verse, sung bridges and choruses, the music does well enough to offer some variation through, from the cyber thrashing of "Illuminoid Dream Sequence" to the graceful, compartmentalized dystopian drift of "Astronomicon" or "The Draconian Arrival".

Of course, Scar Symmetry does the two vocalist thing like the heinous Linkin Park or numerous annoying metalcore and fairyGoth bands: veteran Robert Karlsson (Edge of Sanity, Tormented, etc) covering the growls and Lee Palmqvist taking the cleans to a hybrid of Speed Strid and Jape Perätalo's (To/Die/For) Simon Le Bon impression. I'll be honest that I don't really care for the mix here. Neither is bad, and both are well attuned to their respective styles, but in congruence it feels all too manufactured, too forced in tandem; whereas having one front man like Speed on both ends of the spectrum feels a little more natural. Granted, the plasticity and cubicle pallor of the combination does match the band's futurist motif, but it still seems a little played out by 2011. Fortunate then that Kjellgren and Nilsson have enough good riffs in them to distract us away from this duo when necessary.

Ultimately, the album works, perhaps the first Scar Symmetry full-length that I'd consider 'good', if only marginally so. It's catchy enough to justify itself. It would be the perfect gateway drug to some poor sod whose girlfriend (or boyfriend) listens to My Chemical Romance and 30 Seconds to Mars and is planning a subtle, seductive conversion to extremity, and I don't mean that as an insult. The Unseen Empire is meticulous if not substantial, like a sugar high: won't grant a lot of mileage, but it tastes sweet enough for a spell. It's like the metal equivalent to all of those modernized automobile ads with tons filled to capacity with future city scapes and massive CGI layering and effects. Shiny, processed, synthetic escape. Not without precedent, but rather than hide from the glare of circuitry, it instead revels in its contemporary craftsmanship.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com