I was always told by peers and close friends of mine that understand music that the material is the 80% of an entire material release. The heart and soul of every album or mini types of releases out there will always be the material. However, I always ask what about the sound production, you know the remaining 20%? Can't this portion ruin the listening experience of what is truly important in a release? Some might not agree on what I think, as it will be reflected on this here review, but I firmly stand behind my incoming words. I had the privilege to have the new album, "One More Breath", of the Italian melodic Death Metal band, SUBLIMINAL FEAR, released via SG Records. Through their album I believe that I was able to prove my point once again that the production has a strong effect on how and what the material reflects both its message and attraction. Also through this sophomore album by the band taught me once again how a release can be ruined by bad mixing and mastering and a lack of feel towards sound. Not that the material itself generated anything genuine or out of the ordinary, but there were times where I just couldn't stand listening to it.

I assume that SUBLIMINAL FEAR weren't on the verge of cracking the Metal atom with something purely new. However, they tried to make their way between Death, Thrash and Heavy Metal by issuing a sort of material that sounded slightly varied. I noticed that there is that late 90s Gothenburg melodic Death Metal riffing affiliations, and usage of growling and clean vocals, in the vein of IN FLAMES & SOILWORK but a tad more modernized alongside Thrashier punchy outcomes that sounded very similar to early THE HAUNTED, CALLENISH CIRCLE and THE CROWN. As far as Heavy Metal goes, it is easy to notice that their guitarists have classic and old school appreciations when it came down to their soloing and melodic licks, which were displayed rather well. At first the material seemed rather smooth but over time, and it didn't take long enough, I discovered that it was like a never ending loop that didn't let me go. The usage of keyboards or Synth on several of the tracks enhanced the surrounding atmosphere but only for a bit as the main music just stomped and buried itself eventually. I can't believe that if there are thousands of melodic Death Metal bands, all should sound identical, but what about some diversity? SUBLIMINAL FEAR issued the same guitar harmonies over and over without thinking about spicing things out a bit. I was glad to find at least two good songs around here like "Immutable Event" and "One More Breath" that presented the band in a different light as if to let me know that there is something to work on here, a way up perhaps.

Nonetheless, the thing that devastated most of my listening sessions was the production. With no disrespect to the work done by the band's producer, it didn't sound too good while on several of the tracks it was uneven and disastrous: Lead guitars shrinking before the overbearing bass, bass drum kicks illuminating nearly the entire channels (there were moments where I wished not to listen to double bass action as it punched me too much), growl vocals in the back of the guitars hard to distinguish, chop stick sounding snare and I will stop here. I am glad that the second half of the album was a little better, or maybe I just got used listening to something utterly bad.

Regretfully, "One More Breath" is just another melodic Death Metal band with decent musicians, even though the lead singer rather impressed, and moderate material that needs to step outside of the box in order to be more convincing. Diehard fans of the genre might find something here but I can't be too sure.