kevinAIWW
01/10/10, 10:03 AM
After the Burial - Rareform (Re-issue)
Record Label: Sumerian
Release Date: September 15, 2009
I was absolutely shocked/stoked that I searched for a review on this band and found nothing. Now is my time to shine. Don't you just love clusterfuck metal? Do you like two guitarists that make people look dumb on their 8-strings? Beats that make you want to hurt people, or leave you utterly confused? Do you love bassists that mean anything in a band at all? Or maybe you just love vocalists that drop you a voice that's shrill to the ears. If you're interested, you have fallen into the clutches of Sumerian metal masterminds, After the Burial.
Rareform was originally recorded and released in the year 2008 with vocalist Grant Luoma, who was given the boot for various physical fights amongst others, and for being a convicted sex offender. But that's beside the point. To leave fans less disappointed, Rareform was re-recorded, re-mastered, and of course re-released. This is with the newest front man Anthony Notarmaso.
"Berzerker", the leading track on the album hits you very quickly, with blazing harmonizing guitar riffs coming from guitarists Justin Lowe, and Trent Hafdahl. This is quickly followed by quick thinking of drummer Dan Carle. The song in itself is a decent intro to the album, which lets you know what After the Burial is all about: musicianship. I sound biased, but once you hear that they have broken away from the hardcore trend, you will understand. Anyhow, after a few measures of initial shredding, Anthony gives a taste on vocals. He has very little range, but he has his highs and his middle tones. He seems to fit well with the music.
Everyone asked for it so here it comes: the breakdown. After the Burial brings a new sense to the word, giving the word "crush" a new meaning. Triplets on guitar in drums in groups of four, then three, then four again leaves the picking wrist for guitarists sprained. The staccato sound leaves for a much faster and heavier sound than that of the typical breakdown. They tend to give you something different breakdown-wise in each song on Rareform.
The next track on the album, entitled "Drifts", didn't grab one ounce of my attention until about half way through the song. Here, guitarists let there fingers drift along the fretboard again, with a dueling guitar solo that is slow at first but speeds up as time progresses, with little licks that leave you saying, "Hm, that was pretty cool." After that, the song takes a turn for the worst for about a minute, giving a redundant sound that's almost annoying. Then, After the Burial offers another breakdown. This is one slightly annoying, until the end, where the staccato sound kicks in once again. It almost sounds as if the CD is skipping. One of the weaker songs on the album would have to be "Drifts". You'll never catch me listening to it twice.
"Cursing Akenaten" follows as the third track on the CD, with guitars fading in using repeated harmonies in a Hungarian, or an Egyptian scale (I can't tell the difference from the two). It's an almost alien sound that undeniably different. The lyrics on "Cursing Akenaten" are very metaphorical compared to the juvenile "fuck" every three words from other bands, which sets them apart. "Awaken ruinous fiend of early generations. Your rotting corpse is restored." Obviously they took time to actually think. This is one of the stronger songs on the album, by far. Cursing has earned the band the genre of "Egypticore"-- or "Sumericore"-- rather than your infamous hardcore.
Skip the next track and you come to "Aspirations". This track opens up with really heavy bass, and clean guitars, along with some 80’s style riffing that gives you the idea that you’re about to hear a really soothing song. You thought wrong. ATB get straight into it with an off-kilter breakdown. This leads into an even more fucked up breakdown-- which in turn, leads to an even more fucked up breakdown. But hey, don’t you all miss guitar solos in metal? We’ve got 'em right here. Justin Lowe and Trent Hafdahl deliver on "Aspirations" with a back-and-forth dueling solo that extends live to about five full minutes. But the 40-something seconds is good enough for the album.
That’s all I have for Rareform. It’s an album of talent, and not bullshit. The album has only eight tracks, all of which are different from one-another. I suggest this album to any “metal-head” who loves something new. Get this album.
Record Label: Sumerian
Release Date: September 15, 2009
I was absolutely shocked/stoked that I searched for a review on this band and found nothing. Now is my time to shine. Don't you just love clusterfuck metal? Do you like two guitarists that make people look dumb on their 8-strings? Beats that make you want to hurt people, or leave you utterly confused? Do you love bassists that mean anything in a band at all? Or maybe you just love vocalists that drop you a voice that's shrill to the ears. If you're interested, you have fallen into the clutches of Sumerian metal masterminds, After the Burial.
Rareform was originally recorded and released in the year 2008 with vocalist Grant Luoma, who was given the boot for various physical fights amongst others, and for being a convicted sex offender. But that's beside the point. To leave fans less disappointed, Rareform was re-recorded, re-mastered, and of course re-released. This is with the newest front man Anthony Notarmaso.
"Berzerker", the leading track on the album hits you very quickly, with blazing harmonizing guitar riffs coming from guitarists Justin Lowe, and Trent Hafdahl. This is quickly followed by quick thinking of drummer Dan Carle. The song in itself is a decent intro to the album, which lets you know what After the Burial is all about: musicianship. I sound biased, but once you hear that they have broken away from the hardcore trend, you will understand. Anyhow, after a few measures of initial shredding, Anthony gives a taste on vocals. He has very little range, but he has his highs and his middle tones. He seems to fit well with the music.
Everyone asked for it so here it comes: the breakdown. After the Burial brings a new sense to the word, giving the word "crush" a new meaning. Triplets on guitar in drums in groups of four, then three, then four again leaves the picking wrist for guitarists sprained. The staccato sound leaves for a much faster and heavier sound than that of the typical breakdown. They tend to give you something different breakdown-wise in each song on Rareform.
The next track on the album, entitled "Drifts", didn't grab one ounce of my attention until about half way through the song. Here, guitarists let there fingers drift along the fretboard again, with a dueling guitar solo that is slow at first but speeds up as time progresses, with little licks that leave you saying, "Hm, that was pretty cool." After that, the song takes a turn for the worst for about a minute, giving a redundant sound that's almost annoying. Then, After the Burial offers another breakdown. This is one slightly annoying, until the end, where the staccato sound kicks in once again. It almost sounds as if the CD is skipping. One of the weaker songs on the album would have to be "Drifts". You'll never catch me listening to it twice.
"Cursing Akenaten" follows as the third track on the CD, with guitars fading in using repeated harmonies in a Hungarian, or an Egyptian scale (I can't tell the difference from the two). It's an almost alien sound that undeniably different. The lyrics on "Cursing Akenaten" are very metaphorical compared to the juvenile "fuck" every three words from other bands, which sets them apart. "Awaken ruinous fiend of early generations. Your rotting corpse is restored." Obviously they took time to actually think. This is one of the stronger songs on the album, by far. Cursing has earned the band the genre of "Egypticore"-- or "Sumericore"-- rather than your infamous hardcore.
Skip the next track and you come to "Aspirations". This track opens up with really heavy bass, and clean guitars, along with some 80’s style riffing that gives you the idea that you’re about to hear a really soothing song. You thought wrong. ATB get straight into it with an off-kilter breakdown. This leads into an even more fucked up breakdown-- which in turn, leads to an even more fucked up breakdown. But hey, don’t you all miss guitar solos in metal? We’ve got 'em right here. Justin Lowe and Trent Hafdahl deliver on "Aspirations" with a back-and-forth dueling solo that extends live to about five full minutes. But the 40-something seconds is good enough for the album.
That’s all I have for Rareform. It’s an album of talent, and not bullshit. The album has only eight tracks, all of which are different from one-another. I suggest this album to any “metal-head” who loves something new. Get this album.