SYMPHORCE „Become Death””

Music: Power Metal
Country: Germany
Website: www.symphorce.net
Cool Songs: Darkness Fills the Sky, Condemned

“Become Death” is the newest release by the German power metal act, SYMPHORCE. Having begun in 1998, SYMPHORCE consists of BRAINSTORM member Andy B. Franck handling vocal duties and Markus Pohl of MYSTIC PROPHECY playing guitar along with other recognized musicians from the power metal scene.

‘Become Death’ is an amalgamation of metal styles that culminates in power metal. Franck’s vocals alternate between Warrel Dane wails and more aggressive, one-step- away-from-hardcore vocals. The music steers away from the thin, classic metal guitars that seem to be the norm in today’s power metal scene. Instead, the guitar duo plays down-tuned, aggressive slabs of mid-paced thrashin grooves. Some passages show the band picking up the pace with modern Swedish thrash bands in mind like CARNAL FORGE or DARKANE. Two tracks that exemplify the band’s heavier, near death style are “Darkness Fills the Sky” and “Lost But Found.” Keep in mind, though, the band changes the pace and style throughout most of their songs, keeping the music from getting stale. Even though the majority of the band’s guitar playing is chunky and bruising, there are many moments of melody, especially to introduce a song or end a track.

Keyboard passages add a hint of the dramatic or lend a spacey tone. The keyboards on “Condemed” bring out a trippy vibe, giving the song an industrial feel. “In the Hopes of a Dream” features sad piano notes, which are reminiscent of ANGEL DUST. The keyboards are never over bearing, yet add another dimension of emotion and cerebral textures to the music.

The diverse, passionate vocals are my favorite aspect of ‘Become Death.’ Franck’s vocals have the same moving conviction and eerie echo of NEVERMORE’s Warrel Dane. The group knows how to pen catchy chorus lines to drill Franck’s vocals into the listener’s mind. The album’s opener “Darkness Fills the Sky” contains one of the album’s catchier choral lines. On other tracks, Franck shows his knack for emulating other vocal styles found within this genre. He dons a style similar to QUEENSRYCHE’s Geoff Tate on “Lies” and “Towards the Light.”

The reviews I’ve read for ‘Become Death’ have been mixed, to say the least. Some reviewers felt the down-tuning of the guitars lent the album a nu metal feeling. I don’t agree with that statement, I felt the music’s tuning and style made the music heavier. Another complaint was that all the musical styles do not fit. I experienced that thought when I first listened to the album; however, after a few spins the music seemed to mesh better, and the catchy choruses made me forget about the album’s flaws.

note: 7.5/10

Tracklist

1. Darkness Fills The Sky
2. Condemned
3. In The Hope Of A Dream
4. Death Has Come
5. Inside The Cast
6. No Final Words To Say
7. Towards The Light
8. Ancient Prophecies
9. Lost But Found
10. Lies
Total playing time 52:06

Line-up

Andy B. Franck – Vocals
Cedric C. Dupond – Guitars
Markus Pohl – Guitars
Dennis Wohlbold – Bass
Steffen Theurer – Drums