Statement on Death
Syberia

From their Bandcamp page, "it is said that the name of the coldest area in Russia (Syberia) comes from the Turkish words for "asleep land". SYBERIA's Instrumental Rock music gives off such a warmth and instrumental intensity that they attract attention from the very first minute, through dreamy passages and explosions of real magic." The album contains five tracks.
"Stolen Childhood" leads off the album. It opens with clean guitars and a somewhat solemn tone. Rays of hope can be heard every couple bars. The main riff mirrors the clean guitar melody but with more vitality. Layers build along the way, finally subsiding after the half-way mark. Bass and rhythm guitars thud forward along with tom strikes. The original sound then returns with stronger accents. "Ain't.Care.About.Bullets." begins with quiet tones and electronica in the background. The main riff hits, and it flairs towards the sun. It retreats back to a softer landscape thick with guitars. Manel plays some really nice fills on the kit. Again, these complex but accessible layers build. Getting progressively harder as it passes the half-way mark, the sound drops to clean guitars. Ending with charming notes, the sound culminates to this massive crescendo.
"Breathe" begins with warm and inviting tones, contrary to the band's moniker. Seguing to thick and weighted tones, the song's power begins to develop with absolute authority. All three emotional tones are present here...hope, despair, and the aggregate of the two. I suppose "breathe" is more of a beguiling to humankind, reminding you to just do that when things get tough. Drop work for a moment, sit back, and just breathe deeply. "Nothing Inside" might refer to that blank feeling one gets following a lifetime of pain. Heavier tones paint a darker picture, followed by some light lead guitar work. Rounding the half-way mark, all fear is cast aside as rays of hope reign down and satiate you going forward.
"No Frames to Remember Them" begins with a darker sound, that segues into a happy and energetic feeling, as if frolicking in the sun on your day off without a care in the world. It quickly turns to a rich, full and positive sound, fueling your plight for longer than it should. This final offering pushes all that is good about the world...the vivid colors of nature, the bright side of humankind, people helping each other...and the satisfaction of your work well done. I can see why a big record label such as Metal Blade has picked up this quartet. Some say that songs without vocals can be harder to convey feeling and emotions, but I say that is the big misnomer of music in general. Instruments can speak just as loudly as vocals, in some cases louder. Here they fill your world with as many different emotions as one can possibly feel. You are alive and well.
9 / 10
Almost Perfect
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Statement on Death" Track-listing:
1. Stolen Childhood
2. Ain't.Care.About.Bullets.
3. Breathe
4. Nothing Inside
5. No Frames to Remember Them
Syberia Lineup:
Oscar - Guitar
JordiOnly - Guitar & Synths
Quim - Bass
Manel Woodcvtter - Drums
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