SONIC SYNDICATE are a band that has, from what I have seen, received significant criticism from some very vocal fans over the years, regarding drastic changes in musical styles across the discography. The fact of the matter is, music is subjective. One likes an album, one does not. It is with the release of their self-titled that I can see a great deal of fans praising the band quite amicably. Incidentally, it is the first release from the band not to feature the Sjunesson brothers. As much as I liked their work on previous SONIC records, and their music in THE UNGUIDED, SONIC SYNDICATE have by no means backed down, and have returned with metallic energy.

"Day of the Dead" opens the album with a strong combination of Melodeath and Metalcore, a la IN FLAMES/SOILWORK; an appealing display of heavy, yet melodic riffs and a blistering vocal delivery by Nathan, who now handles both clean and coarse vocals in the band. Richard's iconic screams may no longer be present, one of the reasons why I enjoy his bands, but Nathan does not disappoint, with gravitational low-end growls. Contrastingly, his cleans are powerful and anthemic, with songs further down the track list with much more imaginative chorus lyrics to display this. "Black Hole Halo" is one such track. It is a remarkably strong piece that is representative of the band's new-found aggression and focus on riff-orientated music; additionally, the vocals are absolutely stellar, with a catchy chorus that will surely resonate.

"Before you Finally Break" is, for me, the album's crowning glory. It is easily one of the heaviest tracks the band has ever written, with a remarkable melding of speed and aggression with compounding grooves. The centerpiece of this track, however, is the inclusion of guest vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid of SOILWORK, who offers up both clean and coarse vocals. He and Nathan share an incredibly synergy on this track, delivering an intense and emotional chorus together.
"The Flame that Changed the World" is a surprisingly mature track, with a strong and meaningful synthesizer presence, that add a convincing 'Sci-Fi' atmosphere. Retain a strong IN FLAMES influence in the riffs, the chorus is one of the best found on the album.

An avid fan of the vocal deliveries of Richard, I was pleasantly surprised with how the self-titled turned out, with Nathan fully embracing the helm, because I found this to be tied with "Love and Other Disasters" as their best album yet.