The Oath - Self Destructed
France's The Oath unleash their third album to the masses with 'Self Destructed.' Whereas in the past they usually were good about cranking one album out after another per year, 'Self' took a bit more time to create, but the result was well worth it. For those who felt that The Oath was getting a bit stale in sound, this album revitalizes the energy that made their debut an engaging listen. For those who aren't used to the band, it is a good combination of death metal with symphonic black metal, featuring death vocals and guitars while being backed by atmospheric keyboard at many times.
The album starts with "Alone I Roam" which is an excellent example of melodic blackened death metal. The guitar riffs flow together great and the production allows everything to be heard; even the bass, which is a rare ocassion. It's very aggressive and doesn't do the best example of showing how good the keyboards are used with the band, but that's what the other tracks are for. "Embraced" has a great melodic beginning before launching into a black metal inspired tremolo picking and blastbeat storm- the only thing that keeps it from being tha is the death metal vocals. The keyboards have a better, louder role here mostly as a background instrument. They don't perform too many solos but when they do they perform it in a funeral hymn style that is very creepy and suits the music perfectly. "Impossible Cure" also features greatly melodic keyboards that are more on the spacey side but still creepy.
"Only" features one of the best solos ever, partially because it is backed by the keyboards in a classical piano style. It is very atypical for most melodic death/ black metal bands because each instrument is usually performed separately, but for The Oath they combine them flawlessly. "Way To Nowhere" is a good balance of everything- keyboards, vocals, guitars- but the interlude has some great haunting aspects that really twist the music around and even possibly make this the standout track on the album. Overall, this is definitely a worthy album and a sign that more time spent between albums makes for a more varied, ecclectic piece. The Oath are once again on top of their game.
The album starts with "Alone I Roam" which is an excellent example of melodic blackened death metal. The guitar riffs flow together great and the production allows everything to be heard; even the bass, which is a rare ocassion. It's very aggressive and doesn't do the best example of showing how good the keyboards are used with the band, but that's what the other tracks are for. "Embraced" has a great melodic beginning before launching into a black metal inspired tremolo picking and blastbeat storm- the only thing that keeps it from being tha is the death metal vocals. The keyboards have a better, louder role here mostly as a background instrument. They don't perform too many solos but when they do they perform it in a funeral hymn style that is very creepy and suits the music perfectly. "Impossible Cure" also features greatly melodic keyboards that are more on the spacey side but still creepy.
"Only" features one of the best solos ever, partially because it is backed by the keyboards in a classical piano style. It is very atypical for most melodic death/ black metal bands because each instrument is usually performed separately, but for The Oath they combine them flawlessly. "Way To Nowhere" is a good balance of everything- keyboards, vocals, guitars- but the interlude has some great haunting aspects that really twist the music around and even possibly make this the standout track on the album. Overall, this is definitely a worthy album and a sign that more time spent between albums makes for a more varied, ecclectic piece. The Oath are once again on top of their game.
- Alone I Roam
- Embraced
- End Of The Lines
- I Am Nothing
- Impossible Cure
- Only
- Watch Me Bleed
- Way To Nowhere
- White Fields
Code 666 Records
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Jan 12, 2011
Jan 12, 2011
Next review:
Sole Method - The Way Of Descent
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