| CD REVIEW Sawthis |
 |
|
Band : Sawthis May of this year saw the release of this Italian Modern Metal act's debut album under their new name. Apparently producer Paolo Ojetti was not too pleased with the reviews the album was getting from the major magazines (one of which by a journalist whom even occasionally writes for us, I'm afraid to say!) in the Dutch speaking parts of Europe, so he sent out new promo copies to some of the major music websites. From the info included in the package, I originally deduced this was a demo-CD, but when I checked for info on the Internet I found out the band had a rich past. You see, most of the outfit (except for the drummer and bassist) started the band Anastesia back in 1998, and delivered a 1998 demo. After some line-up change they changed names to Sothis in 2000, and as such released a couple of demos (2000's 7-track The Seven Lies and 2003's 4-track Instinct, the latter's positive Italian and European reviews securingthe band support shows with the likes of Lacuna Coil, Entombed, Impaled Nazarene, Shaman, Konkhra, Eldritch, Centvrion, Theatre Des Vampires, and Undertakers), before releasing their debut full-length Fusion through Temple Of Noise Records (with distribution through Belgium's Hardebaran and Germany's Edel) in April 2006. A new live campaign is started and this time sees the band opening for the likes of Anathema, Destruction, Vader, Sybreed, Impaled Nazarene, Extrema, Sadist, Necrodeath, and Assassin. A year later they out their first real video clip (inspired by the movie A Clockwork Orange) for the track “Beyond The Bound” (a less professional video was already made for “The Purifier”). In 2008 Sothis [current line-up consisting of original members Alessandro Fala (lead vocals), Devis Ercole and Adriano Quaranta (guitarists) and more recent additons Gaetano Ettorre (bass) and Michele Melchiorre (drums) starts pre-production of their latest offering [somewhere along the line the guys had also changed their look on music somewhat, and decided upon the new bandname Sawthis (and speaking in tonalities, that ain't even much of a difference, is it now?) in June 2009], eventually re-entering the studio to record the album in 2009 with Paolo Ojetti [singer of celebrated Italian band Infernal Poetry and live sound man for many a big international artist when in Italy and beyond...the list including such more “commercial” artists as L.A. Guns, Tony Martin, Paul Di'Anno, TM Stevens and Steve Vai, but also “heavier” dudes, the likes of Dismember, Napalm Death, Vital Remains, and Enthroned] as artistic producer. Which brings me back to he reviews mentioned above. One of the reviewers forgets the “heavier” bands Ojetti has served as live sound engineer, and completely forgets the fact that he sings for Infernal Poetry (a band known for its “Extreme” musical leanings), and starts meandering that Paolo should stick to his guns, because (he feels) he's no taste for “harder Rock”, claiming also that Egodsounds like having been recorded in some abandoned mountain shack where Max Cavalera had let some notes. Clearly in a dark mood that day and possibly not being able to get in touch with Sawthis' musical offering , he continues to break down the great track “Barabba” with the words “...how to get on somebody's nerves in 3 minutes and 52 seconds?...”, and ends by giving the album a absolutely miserable 30/100 rating. The other reviewer is less severe in the rating, allowing for 67 points out of a 100, but jacks about the fact that the band would've changed more often of name and line-up than it's released albums (so...what!?), stating that this fickleness is mirrored in the band's music. Among the negative things he mentions: careless handling of Arabic tunes, experimenting with tempo and genre crossings, no vocal structuring, songs structure is chaotic, overall impression is lacking too much in identity to get anywhere! On the positive side he at least mentions that the “Modern Metal” has Death/ Thrash as the main ingredient, but also uses elements of Hardcore, Stoner and Nu-Metal...and compliments the technical play. Now how can we right these wrongs? Because this band has obviously been wronged, purely and simply because lazy editors have not taken the trouble to check the contents of the album to have it reviewed by a journalist whom would normally be into the release's musical style! Well, we can put the record straight, can't we! So, here we go... Sawthis comes along with a completely wacky “Modern Metal” album, musically mixing Swedish Extreme Death Metal (which is certainly not devoid of melody, nor of a fine degree of progressiveness) with what is currently known as the newest AmeriCore (a Metalcore of the kind that leaves out any influences from Emo and more traditional Heavy Metal for a more “Extreme” overall sound), occasionally melting in Arabian and ethnic instruments (a sitar in the opening of the album, an Arabian flute elsewherere, a...oud? somewhere else) for calmer passages in an otherwise rich soundscape of busy guitars (nice intertwining melodies and tempo changes) and expressive drums. On top, Fala and at least one of the other guys provide an interesting changing vocal soundscape, with Fala's predominant grunt-screams backed by melodic clean, screamed, or half-spoken word singing...depending on the needs of the song. In other words: you're getting quite a busy soundscape overall, but it's a varied one, and it's a good thing the guys incorporate a couple of calmer passages in the album as well. Admittedly, the sound of the drums is perhaps a slight little sharp and up-front, but it suffices to not turn the knob on the amplifier all the way to the right to remedy that. Of course, not everyone can be expected to like the band's antics, but personally I came to understand that what the album needs is at least a second listening session. And since at the moment the band posted their complete album at myspace.com/sawthismusic, there's no reason why the more open-minded among our Extreme Metal loving readers shouldn't go ahead and do that! Yummy, another year-list addition, honey! 98/100 Tony. |