Band: Bloodline Severed
Title: Visions Revealed
Label: Bombworks Records
Distribution: Bertus
Release date: October 2009
Review: CD

Bombworks Records is a mainly Christian-inspired Metal-label so in case you get nauseous right now: just skip this review. My personal opinion about religion does not matter when it comes to the heavier side of the musical spectrum. And besides, Bombworks Records did sign several interesting bands in mean time, resulting in the release of a few great releases lately; think Usynlig Tumult (Voices Of The Wind; look out for the upcoming review), Azmaveth (Strong As Death; review available on this site on 14/11/2008), Dark Lay Still (Through Hell), or Dagon (Terraphobic; recently posted on the site, on 17/09/2009) amongst others.

Another interesting formation is this one: Bloodline Severed, hailing from North Carolina, U.S. the quintet recorded and originally released Visions Revealed last year, and after they signed to Bombworks, a proper, decent remixed and re-mastered release is possible finally. For fifty one minutes, Visions Revealed brings a mixture of modern Metal styles. Heavy, Death and Black Metal and Metalcore, traditional parts, the album breaths all of them. And sometimes it convinces, sometimes it does not. The latter has to do with a few parts that are rather predictable and ‘heard-it-before’. Yet luckily, most of the album is, as said, convincing in a (random) way.

The band incorporates the modern techniques of bands as In Flames, Killswitch Engage and Meshuggah, and the energetic compositions vary a lot in tempo and structural approach. Most songs combine catchy pieces with more brutal parts, the vocals vary a lot (grunts, screams, growls, clean and melodic voices), and the technical supplements are (sometimes) of an acceptable quality. A few female vocals and acoustic parts are ‘necessary’, I guess (even though I do like Amy Lynn’s voice!), and also the most mainstream may sound rather cheap. Yet again the production sounds (power-) full, lifting the progressivity to a higher level from time to time. Visions Revealed is an album with much variation. It will be adored by those who like concrete Metal in general, yet I think especially the more (Death) Metalcore-oriented scene will appreciate this album (a lot).

81/100

Ivan Tibos.