EQULIBRIUM are a Bavarian band from Starnberg (Germany) that have been around since 2001 and play a mix of Folk Metal and Metalcore. "Equinox" is their seventh full length album to date and for me the first time I have encountered the band. I have to say that when I saw this on the to do list of METAL TEMPLE, the combination of musical styles had me intrigued. That is why I requested this review as mine. I like some Metalcore, just as I love some Folk Metal, but they have to get it right to get me really going. The question that I will be asking myself here is whether EQULIBRIUM has the ability to mix them in such a way that it will blow me away, or at least make me like them a whole lot.

When I start listening it becomes quite clear that the Metalcore has actually taken over the majority of the sound, sometimes with the help of Electronics, like at the endings of "Awakening" and "Archivist". The Folk influences are there, but I fear that they have been snowed under, are poorly represented by EQUILIBRIUM on "Equinox". And even though the producers have given the band a really solid sound, I feel that the integrity of the band as a Folk Metal band has been compromised just a tad too much. All of a sudden, I'm reviewing a Metalcore album with some Electronic and Folk Metal influences interwoven. That is quite a shift in dimensions.

And if that is the case, I have to tell you that the songs on "Equinox" are okay, but nothing more than that. what I hear is not very inspiring, doesn't have that extra layer that will surprise you from time to time. On the contrary, as far as I'm concerned this is a band that obviously is comprised of a bunch of very competent musicians that have been together and have found their niche, but have forgotten that in whatever direction you want to go, if you make Metal the audience will want to be enthralled, excited and entertained. This does neither for me. It just exists, and for a band that is celebrating 25 years of existence, I expected a whole lot more. I mentioned in the first paragraph that I like some Metalcore, just as I love some Folk Metal, but they have to get it right to get me really going. Well, EQULIBRIUM hasn't, at least not on "Equinox".