UMUR "Resolution" is the debut full-length studio album by Irish, Dublin based death metal/metalcore act Chosen. The album was released through the band´s Bandcamp profile at a "Name Your Price tag in March 2013. Chosen released quite a few EPs and a couple of demos before the release of "Resolution". They have an interesting history as the whole band at one point relocated to Vancouver, Canada. All members moved back to Ireland again, but two members then decided to move back to Canada. After a shorter hiatus the two remaining members opted to continue with Chosen and "Resolution" was therefore recorded as a two-piece consisting of David McCann (drums) and Paul Shields (guitars, vocals, bass).

The music on the 9 track, 54:10 minutes long album is technical/progressive death metal/metalcore. It´s not technical for the sake of it and the same can be said about the progressive leanings on the album. This is the kind of album where the music as a whole is in focus and not unnecessary instrumental noodling or awkward experimental ideas. The music is heavy, energetic, and very well played. There is a good balance between heavier aggressive parts (typically with clever angular riffing and tempo changes) and more atmospheric parts. The clean guitar parts on the album generally leave great impact and bring nice variation to the music. The vocal department is also pretty varied with both high pitched screaming "core" type vocals, clean vocals, and the occasional growling vocal part too. The former mentioned vocal style is the dominant vocal style on the album though. I hear references to acts like Meshuggah and Fear Factory (mostly in the clean sung chorus of "Asch's Paradigm") and in the clean vocal parts even references to an alternative rock act like A Perfect Circle. The high pitched screaming vocals are a pretty harsh listen and if I have to mention a minor weakness about "Resolution", it´s those vocals. It´s probably an aquired taste though and fans of metalcore type vocals pretty surely won´t have the slightest issue with the vocals on this album. The clean vocals are genereally well sounding and they add a lot to the music.

The sound production is clear and powerful. A brillant production to my ears and I´m surprised this is a self-released (and I assume self-financed) album. Everything on "Resolution" reeks class and high quality and it´ll put to shame quite a few label releases that I´ve listened to in my time. A 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.

Time Signature Engines of belief...

Genre: modern extreme metal with progressive tendencies

After a turbulent history of transatlantic relocations, break-ups, reunions and hiatuses, the Irish extreme metal act Chosen are finally ready to released their debut full-length "Resolution". And, chances are that the album will enjoy much success among fans of the more tech/prog-oriented type of extreme metal.

While not insanely technical, Chosen's nine tracks on the album are nonetheless quite progressively oriented and definitely belong to the more sophisticated end of the extreme metal continuum. Drawing on both death metal and djent-thrash with a slight touch of metalcore and melodic death metal, "Resolution" is a rather eclectic album and may be compared to as diverse artists as Death, Atheist, In Flames, Nevermore, and Opeth. And all of this is wrapped in Meshuggah-esque grooves. Although inspirations from these and other artists may be traced throughout the album, "Resolution" stands on its own as an original work of art. A major attraction point is the Irish duo's talent for writing crushingly heavy riffs that punch you in the gut and leave you breathless, while your mind is being challenged by the progressive aspect of their music.

The Irish duo's musicianship is top notch, and the production is clean and well-defined, but not too polished. The vocals are primarily harsh and lean more towards metalcore-informed screaming than towards guttural growls, and, while nowhere near as annoying as all out screamo hysteria, this is a vocals style that might not appeal to all fans of death metal. I have no problems with it, though. There are also clean vocals every now and then, which add a melodic feel to the album.

In all, "Resolution" is an artistically successful, and quite original, opus of progressively oriented and sophisticated extreme metal which combines the progressiveness of the likes of Death, Atheist, and Opeth with the crushing grooves of Meshuggah into a riff-driven metallic onslaught which offers both fuel for your fire and food for your thoughts.