pers
Recensie Greyline
10 February 2010
Greyline - Behind the Masquerade
posted by: maurice on 10 February 2010
The
mask of a plague doctor is watching us on the cover of 'Behind the
Masquerade'. No wonder this vinyl record (no CD release) is released by
Black Death records. Greyline, already around for almost ten years
comes back with their second full length and took their time because
'Red Carpet Avenue' was already released in 2004.
With help of Phillip Cope from Kylesa (mixing) and Scott Hull
(mastering) they come up with nine songs somewhere between metal and
rock with compact song structures. The songs have the perfect
production they deserve: heavy and powerful with all the right details
on the right place in the mix. This works out best in for example the
short and fast one "Ravens Ahead" and the eleven minute closing song
"Mirrors" would perfectly fit on the "Somewhere among the Highway"
album of Cult of Luna.
Point of discussion is the new vocal style of Jabe (who also took care
of the bass and artwork). In my opinion his low growls don't fit the
music at every moment. Others don't agree with me but in the first
track “Flooding the Mountains” his voice is a bit unnatural and
overdone. Later in “Nomads on the Run” and “Where Death Do Us Start”
it’s better mixed into the music (just like his clean vocals) or maybe
I am getting used to his new way of using his vocal chords.
The wide musical scope is one of the powers of Greyline nowadays.
Several influences are mixed together without losing the leitmotiv of
writing catching songs. In the intermezzo “Hunt of the Coyote” you hear
hints to Woven Hand, in the rest of the songs the realm of Baroness,
Mastodon or Kylesa is all around. Don’t think the Frisian boys are just
copying the music they get inspired by because this professional
document is just too good to be ignored.
If you don't buy vinyl or just want things for free; 'Behind the Masquerade' can be downloaded for free on www.greyonline.nl
starting February 19th. They feel distributing the album through the
internet is the way of the future and the best way to reach as many
people as possible.
datum:
bron: http://www.asice.net/reviews/3693/