REDEMPTION — This Mortal Coil (review)

REDEMPTION — This Mortal Coil album cover Album · 2011 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
AtomicCrimsonRush
Here is a metal album in the same vein as the type of metal you may expect from Symphony X. Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder certainly is as good as he was with that legendary band and his voice never falters from loud high register to a gentler cadence on the softer songs. The metal is driven hard by the dextrous lead guitar work of Nick Van Dyk. He also provides keyboards where it is needed. He is joined by the rhythm of guitarist Bernie Versailles. The final piece of the band is provided by the rhythm machine of Chris Quirarte on drums and Sean Andrews on bass.

The first thing one may notice from the outset is that the riffs have a proclivity to sound like Metallica, at one point the early Metallica sound is protuberant on the first songs on the album. The voice is always sparkling and resilient, every lyric is audible, and Alder injects passion and power into his performance. The lead breaks are a part of the overall sound and they are handled deftly by the fret melting work of Van Dyk. Certain lead solos are absolutely brilliant, with speed sweep picking, pitchy squeals and fast hammer ons, especially notable on 'Dreams From The Pit', 'Noonday Devil' and 'Departure of the Pale Horse' (the best song on the album).

The vocal work is astonishing at times, the high falsetto comes into play often and is never overbearing, rather part of the passionate thematic content, such as on 'Perfect' or 'Begin Again'. There is a type of concept on the album revolving around Biblical references such as the fall of the devil and temptation in the garden, and of course at the end Revelation is referenced in the awesome mini epic 'Departure of the Pale Horse'. The album seems to become more progressive in style the further into it especially with the ethereal intro to 'Noonday Devil' and the time sig structure of 'Let It Rain'.

The quieter songs are always an excellent balance to all the shredding. The guitars are downtuned to emit the classic galloping riff style often heard in 80s metal. The band have an approach to their music that is at times dark in content, (especially on the section where whispered voices tell the protagonist that they are alone in the dark and prayer is useless), but the sound is not offensive, due to easy listening vocals, and neither ground breaking in terms of innovation. The album will appeal to listeners with a penchant for Symphony X or Dream Theater, and that is perhaps my highest recommendation.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Rot Stink Rip Death Metal
TOMBSTONER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Human Rosin Melodic Metalcore
HATE BREEDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through The Hell Hardcore Punk
ENEMY 906
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lightmatter: Rebirth Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Eye Of Horus (Lightmatter EP Pt. 2) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 4 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 4 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 4 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 4 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 5 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed