Less than a handful of months in and 2019 is already looking like it could go down as a major year for startling releases. Adding to the growing reasons why we are suggesting that possibility is the new album from German metallers Sober Truth. It is a snarling, writhing tempest of the band’s already individual progressive groove metal but has breached a whole new expanse of varied sound driven by an imagination living a up to its title; in short Psychosis is one dramatically thrilling engagement.
Formed in 2007, Siegburg hailing Sober Truth has established themselves as one of Europe’s most intriguing propositions across a trio of previous albums starting with Riven in 2009. The quartet has grown and nurtured their presence and reputation release by release but fair to say major spotlights and recognition are set to be stirred given the required opportunity with Psychosis. The successor to their previous well-received full-length Locust ▼ Lunatic Asylum, there is no escaping a new maturity and bolder imagination to the band’s songwriting and sound within Psychosis or the richer fusion of flavours making up its boisterous canvas.
The release opens with Solitude, the song initially brewing its attack in the background before crowding ears in a rapacious but controlled swirl of riffs and rhythms. A potent coaxing, it in turn soon centres its trespass and drives across the senses as eager grooves align with hungry riffs, the vocal antagonism of guitarist Torsten Schramm soon in league with the ferocious incitement. Instantly contagious and increasingly unpredictable as melodic strands and invention entangle in the fury while variety enhances the magnetism of vocals, the song just blossoms by the second. Already hints of different styles and spicing are at play, stronger in some moments than others but all adding to the track’s potent imagination and character.
It is a stirring rousing start easily backed by the sonic tapestry that is Akardos. Classic metal lined progressive wiring initiates the temptation, a great slim but rich prowling gait emerging before those early hues inflame the melodic enterprise of Schramm and lead guitarist Aaron Vogelsberg. Darker, heavier shadows soon infest the contagion, the esurient beats of Sam Baw uniting with the magnetic pulsation and lure of Jules RoCkwell’s bass. New threads of sound and styles continue to be keenly woven into the magnetic web before Dark Valley takes over the enslaving of ears and appetite. There is a bedlamic edge to Schramm’s vocals which quickly captured the imagination, one which only escalates across the song as musically too it nurtures an anarchic pandemonium within its skilfully bred infestation; the result which is maybe something akin to Dog Fashion Disco and Mudvayne meets The New Jacobin Club but is truly unique to Sober Truth.
The brief atmospheric ally portentous instrument of Ode To Reality leads to the authoritative bait of Riven which subsequently embraces thrash metal bred enticement and blackened shadows to its creative breast. As all tracks though, it evolves and spreads into a diversity of flavours and endeavour, the song as the band’s sound, wonderfully difficult to truly pin down though there is something of a Fear Factory tint to it.
The progressively flamed, death metal flushed Horizon and the nu/groove metal webbing of Utopia only cement the album’s potency and temptation; both unforgettable escapades forged in the diverse furore of sound and imaginative craft from across the whole band before Sober (ReArranged) reveals a whole new side and character to a song previously found on the last album. As catchy in temperament and intent as the original, the song flourishes in the fresh creative winds which race through the band’s growth in sound.
Dying Dreams follows bringing tenebrific clouds over melodic and harmonic intimation before the album’s title track seduced ears with its enthralling mesh of voracious metal and gothic rock equipped with almost malevolent grooves and post punk starkness. At times the song sparks thoughts of The Mission and Sisters Of Mercy, in other moments erupts in an insatiable squall of dissonance and instability. The track is superb, and one of the album’s biggest highlights.
The album concludes with an Unplugged rendition of Collapse, it too a song first introduced on Locust ▼ Lunatic Asylum. Whether intended as a mere bonus slice of Sober Truth goodness or not it provides a wonderful conclusion to Psychosis which is very easy to be greedy over.
Sober Truth may have still been an unnoticed proposition to many but surely that will change thanks to Psychosis. Quite simply the album is a real pleasure of originality and heterogeneity which deserves all the attention and plaudits it will hopefully get.
Psychosis is available now @ https://sobertruth.bandcamp.com/album/psychosis
http://sober-truth.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sobertruthband https://twitter.com/sobertruthband
Pete RingMaster 14/03/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
It is a resourceful and striking beginning only accentuated by next up He Who Finishes First Is Finished First. Leading with teasing guitar bait, the song swaggers in with eager rhythms and a vocal prowess which just made us want to get involved. It is simultaneously composed yet manic, every second a devious seed and ingredient to an adventure which swiftly got under the skin echoing those earlier mentioned clues to the Skulk, The Hulking adventure.
The following Brother Man warmly grabs ears next like a collusion of Ruts and 12 Stone Toddler; its stalking groove and melodic coaxing a delicious mix soon embracing a reggae and metal induced tempest in turn proceeding to entangle all earlier aspects within its similarly and seriously catchy landscape. The further into its depths the more deranged twists show their voracious enticements as too mellower melodic but no less certifiable essences. Thorough captivation, it is more than matched in aberrant adventure by Dead Duck Dock. The song also follows those before it by making a relatively gentle melody woven entrance but also one soon showing argumentative discord in sound and intensity as its groove metal instincts rise. With hues of Slipknot and Society 1 to its growl, the song is a roar of creative irritability and intrigue never resting for long in one flavour or mood.
It is a thumping start matched in quality and irresistibility by the psychotically cultured Ha Ha. Sonic and rhythmic stabs court vocal shenanigans from the start with heftier beats soon adding their instable intent to the quickly compelling mix. Slithers of jazz and groove metal flirt with avant-garde psychosis as the track grows and writhes as well as anthemically incites in equal measure before allowing Nothing the opportunity to prey on an already submissive appetite and imagination for the release. The song saunters along with flirtatious and intimidating hues to the fore, Lepokorpi like the ringleader in its midst as his narrative challenges and highlights the issues theming the magnetic proposal.
Formed in 2011 but really finding its creative mojo once the current line-up was in place a couple or so years later, the Lincolnshire band soon sparked a hungry and swiftly growing fan base for their dramatically addictive sound which reached its first pinnacle in the Hands Sewn Together EP. Live too, the band has grown to be one of Britain’s prime incitements, sharing stages with the likes of American Head Charge, Kindred, ESO, Breed 77, Sworn Amongst, Maplerun, Evil Scarecrow, and Bloodshot Dawn amongst many along the way. Linking up with EP producer Matt Hyde (Machine Head, Trivium, Fightstar, As I Lay Dying and Slipknot) again for The Root Of Man, the quintet of brothers Drew (drums/ programming) and Peter ‘Mr Clone’ Moore (vocals), Conor (guitar) and Liam Richardson (guitar), and Mike Bradbury (bass) are seemingly poised to set their place at the head table of the UK and indeed European metal scene.
It opens with Oxymoron 4991 and an initial tempting of electronic mist conjured by Uzzo punctured by a moment of distorted vocals. There is a portentous edge to that first coaxing, one which ripens as guitars and rhythms bring forth their own dark hues, though within a few more haunting moments a warmer light and energy erupts to change the shade of the song again. The guitars of Alex and Adriano are soon dancing and flirting with ears whilst still providing darker drama to the broadening sonic narrative of the track. Once fully into its infectious stride, attention and appetite are enslaved by the song, thoughts similarly bewitched as it proceeds to slip from spicy grooves and niggly hooks into mellow harmonies and avant-garde twists. The vocals of Riz provide variety to match the sounds too, clean croons and gnarly roars offered in numerous ways and backed well from elsewhere within the band. It is fair to say, as the album, the track took time and a few plays to really click in ears and emotions, but straight away had them fully enticed and wanting to delve deeper into its warped adventure.
The band’s sound is often and understandably tagged as art-rock but as opener Feel At Ease quickly reveals that barely hints at the evolving brews of grunge, stoner, punk, noise, and many other rock ‘n’ roll spices woven together in the EP’s individual exploits. The first song is an immediate throaty groan of heavy bass, discord deranged guitar, and jabbing beats. It is an almost menacingly brewed lure which never flinches as the spoken delivery of LoSardo opens up a just as pungent narrative. Fresh predatory air hits all areas before the song opens out into a catchy and melodically tempting chorus, its appearance another trigger as the song returns to its stalking but with a hungrier and livelier nature. We would suggest as this and all songs play, each listener will find their own references and hints to compare songs with, and here, thoughts of early Squeeze, Split Enz, and just a touch of Pere Ubu nudge these thoughts.