The Block Parody Paradigm

Another gothic metal band, yet a totally different sound. Though gothic metal bands that seem to do really well usually have a female singer, Creation’s Tears has put forth a very good album even though they don’t specifically fit the mold. With “Methods to End it All”, Creation’s Tears has out together both a prog and gothic metal based album that, if in the mood can please anyone willing to listen.

The musicianship on this album is one thing, which no matter what mood I’m in, is enjoyable throughout. Right from the start with “Another Collision” they set the tone with a fast paced song with great guitar work and thick bass lines. Brian Eddie Reynolds does a spectacular job with the guitars all throughout the album, especially in his solo to begin “I Fail”. After his great solo, the song takes up a more prog feel, driven mostly by the bass and drums. This song has a very Dream Theater like feel which puts this song out in front of most of the other, at least for me, and makes it one of the most enjoyable on the album. Not only does “I Fail” offer up a great solo opening but throughout the track there are also some small samplings of great solos interspersed. Another great song is “Odyssey (Opus IX)” because it features a more acoustic centered sound in the beginning rather than the heavier sound on most of the other songs. One thing that I like about “Methods to End it All” is that through the 30 some minutes it’s on it never gets boring. Granted, it is only around 30 minutes, but it still shows that Creation’s Tears has a lot of talent and originality, and their debut really shows that.

One thing that also adds to the album is the vocalists. Brian Eddie Reynolds, who I mentioned earlier for his guitar work, also doubles as the bands vocalist. His style blends very well with the rest of the band and it sounds very good. Creation’s Tears also enlisted some help from ex-Cradle of Filth Singer Sarah Jezebel Deva who guest performs on the track “Creation’s Tears”. I like this because it changes up the feel of the album from a more progressive gothic metal approach to straight up gothic metal for this song.

The production is also quite good, too. It’s very professional sounding and has a little edge to it that is really nice.

“Methods to End it All” is a superb debut from Creation’s Tears, and it definitely warrants a listen from any metal fan out there. With help from the all ready mentioned Sarah Jezebel Deva and session drummer Lee Morris of Paradise Lost, Creation’s Tears really helped their chances of becoming a great metal band. For this great release they get 4 stars.