### Stalwart: Manifest of refusal

#### 08/06/12 || Smalley

As I currently write this, it is my 24th birthday; I’ve ordered a handful of new records from Amazon with some gift $, but the actual party (and other gifts) won’t actually happen for another 2 weeks, so I guess “Manifest of refusal” will have to do. And, as a stub/gift, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad one, but not a great one either; it’s like the equivalent of your elderly neighbors who come over on Christmas to give you an almanac, and your mom has to remind you be nice about it. It’s the thought that counts! Anyway, Stalwart is Russian death metal; Metallum says they’re deathrash, but it’s actually much more death with just a lil’ thrash (but that site’s still “reliable”, huh guys?).

‘Nuff getting all Smalley and defensive here though, as “Manifest” has a pretty nice production all-around, some occasionally brutal/groovy riffage, and some nice intensity, but the songwriting as a whole lacked coherence, despite some nice individual sections, and the clean vocals with metalcore-ish shrieks, and Marilyn Manson wannabe parts weren’t good at all (and there was too much of ‘em), and the harsh vocals were a bit inadequate in power. Sucks, cuz this one really does have some very cool riffs in it, but oh wells; not a disappointment by stub standards, at any rate.

6/10: Happy B-day to me, I guess.