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Scar Symmetry: Dark matter dimensions

24/11/09 || Euthanatos

Were you guys as pissed as me when Christian Älvestam left Scar Symmetry? Nah, I doubt it, you all think Scar Symmetry sucked anyway. Well, I happen to like them, and even though I though their last album with Christian wasn’t as good as “Pitch-Black Progress”, I was still bummed. The guy is really fucking good, one of the most diverse vocals out there. Talented fucker.

Naturally, I thought him leaving would spell doom for the band. No way in hell is there anyone out there that can sing as good as Christian. Well, Scar Symmetry did a total 180 on my ass and didn’t bother getting one guy for the job. They went ahead and got two. Obvious as that solution may seem now, I did not see it coming. So they got Roberth “Robban” Karlsson, whose vocals I love in Facebreaker, and who has also sung in 210 bands, as the “harsh” vocalist. Good pick, solid pick, I’m impressed. And they also got relatively unknown Lars Palmqvist for the clean parts. While I was familiar with Karlsson’s quality, I was somewhat suspicious about having two vocalists in the band.

The live videos that were coming out around the time this was announced didn’t help much. I didn’t care for their chemistry on the stage, or how the new singers sounded on older material. “Dark Matter Dimensions”, though, is an entirely other matter, no pun intended, and it’s actually a fine album. I am, no shame in saying it, quite surprised.

Lars’ vocals is where it takes the most getting used to. He isn’t as good as Christian and doesn’t have a particularly memorable vocal style to make him stand out in songs. But he can sing and is pretty good at doing it too. I think with time, some great things can actually come from him. We’ll see. Not bad for a first effort, though.

Karlsson sounds a lot better here than when I saw him on those live videos (I know, the wonders of technology, or maybe just a bad day), and his performance really is the clincher for the album. Sure, Christian is missed, but Karlsson does his best in growling his way into our hearts. A very solid performance, and his style does fit with Lars’ singing. “The Consciousness Eaters”, stupid as the name may be, and “Non-Human Era” are great moments for the two.

As for the album as a whole, as I said, I’m glad to be proved wrong. There are some really neat moments on this record, I actually found it more interesting than “Holographic Universe”. There’s a reason I’m not linking my review for that last album here, though. I was extremely generous with it, I have no idea why. That score is no way in hell suitable for that album. It’s not even suitable for this album. Oh, well, we grow old, we learn, mistakes shall not be repeated.

Anyway, this album is heavier, and the melodic moments are, er… melodic-er. So, it’s an all-around much better album and shows a Scar Symmetry more inspired and seemingly renewed, and I can’t ask for much more. I think if this line-up stays put, the band will even top “Pitch-Black Progress” in time.

The cover: I really like this, we don’t get enough white backdrop covers in metal these days. A bunch of scrap metal forming a planet makes really neat artwork too.

7,5

Information
Released: 2009
Label: Nuclear Blast
Website: www.scarsymmetry.com
Band
Roberth Karlsson: vocals
Lars Palmqvist: vocals
Jonas Kjellgren: guitars
Per Nilsson: guitars
Kenneth Seil: bass
Henrik Ohlsson: drums

Tracklist
01. The Iconoclast
02. The Consciousness Eaters
03. Noumenon And Phenomenon
04. Ascension Chamber
05. Mechanical Soul Cybernetics
06. Nonhuman Era
07. Dark Matter Dimensions
08. Sculptor Void
09. A Paranthesis In Eternity
10. Frequencyshifter
11. Radiant Strain

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