Klatzke
12/01/08, 07:16 AM
Elysia - Lion of Judas
Record Label: Ferret Records
Release Date: June 10, 2008
I have a friend, that will be unnamed, who knows of Elysia. When I casually mentioned them in a conversation, he said something to the effect of "dude, have you heard their EP? That shit's gold." This surprised me quite a bit, seeing as he's not exactly a fan of deathcore, and I only knew of Lion Of Judas. Of course, this intrigued me, so I chose to investigate what exactly my friend had been interested in, and it didn't surprise me. On their EPs, they approached things in more of a death/extreme metal styling than the deathcore approach of Lion Of Judas. I haven't ruined my friend's idea of Elysia yet, but well, I'm afraid it's going to for one reason: he hates breakdowns.
Catch that hint? Their old stuff did have breakdowns, but nothing like this. If that's not what you're into, then get out now. However, for those of us that enjoy a good breakdown, stick around. The technical riffing is still present, which is always a plus. "Plague Of Insects" is a great example of this. Even for us breakdown-lovers, this album can get a little old. It's just breakdown-breakdown-breakdown. They keep it pretty heavy, and it's not surprising when they happen. It seems like they're trying to keep you guessing, but it just ends up predictable. The vocals are pretty constant too; they really don't vary from their standard shout/yell throughout the entire album. Some of the lyrics are pretty entertaining though, such as the lines, "If you swallowed your pride/ you would choke to death" which is repeated during one of the numerous breakdowns.
Overall, I don't really think Elysia is going to impress as many people with Lion Of Judas as they did with their previous release. They may keep some of their old fans, but it's not unlikely that many of them will be turned off by the shift. However, deathcore is a growing genre, and they're likely to pick up plenty of new fans. This album really isn't anything new, but it will likely appeal to fans of the genre. Unfortunately for my friend though, they've progressed, and they've definitely brought themselves a new sound to the table
The Dillinger Escape Plan; A Life Once Lost
myspace.com/elysia (http://www.myspace.com/elysia)
originally posted at highbeamreview.com on July 16, 2008
Record Label: Ferret Records
Release Date: June 10, 2008
I have a friend, that will be unnamed, who knows of Elysia. When I casually mentioned them in a conversation, he said something to the effect of "dude, have you heard their EP? That shit's gold." This surprised me quite a bit, seeing as he's not exactly a fan of deathcore, and I only knew of Lion Of Judas. Of course, this intrigued me, so I chose to investigate what exactly my friend had been interested in, and it didn't surprise me. On their EPs, they approached things in more of a death/extreme metal styling than the deathcore approach of Lion Of Judas. I haven't ruined my friend's idea of Elysia yet, but well, I'm afraid it's going to for one reason: he hates breakdowns.
Catch that hint? Their old stuff did have breakdowns, but nothing like this. If that's not what you're into, then get out now. However, for those of us that enjoy a good breakdown, stick around. The technical riffing is still present, which is always a plus. "Plague Of Insects" is a great example of this. Even for us breakdown-lovers, this album can get a little old. It's just breakdown-breakdown-breakdown. They keep it pretty heavy, and it's not surprising when they happen. It seems like they're trying to keep you guessing, but it just ends up predictable. The vocals are pretty constant too; they really don't vary from their standard shout/yell throughout the entire album. Some of the lyrics are pretty entertaining though, such as the lines, "If you swallowed your pride/ you would choke to death" which is repeated during one of the numerous breakdowns.
Overall, I don't really think Elysia is going to impress as many people with Lion Of Judas as they did with their previous release. They may keep some of their old fans, but it's not unlikely that many of them will be turned off by the shift. However, deathcore is a growing genre, and they're likely to pick up plenty of new fans. This album really isn't anything new, but it will likely appeal to fans of the genre. Unfortunately for my friend though, they've progressed, and they've definitely brought themselves a new sound to the table
The Dillinger Escape Plan; A Life Once Lost
myspace.com/elysia (http://www.myspace.com/elysia)
originally posted at highbeamreview.com on July 16, 2008