In order to not repeat other stuff of the same end over and over, the young German band. SYMBOLIC, tried to do something else with their extreme Metal music. Of course I think that Metal fans should cheer for whoever tries to develop the genre in order to create new expectation out of it. However, at the end of the day the quality is what really matters no matter what new innovations a band would make. "Scarvest" is the band's sophomore album, first on their new label Twilight Vertrieb, and the progression of melodic Death Metal continues with it.

In general, SYMBOLIC sounds like every well-crafted Swedish type of a Death Metal band. That is why composing melodic verses and top notch solos were one of the band's greatest achievements surrounding this release. No doubt about it, this band has a potential and talent, especially their twin guitarists that made menace with their roles. However, I think that the advancements that this band tried to implement on the sub-genre were half way and sometimes even not well placed thus making the process as a sort of a contradiction. Basically, "Scarvest" is a different modernization of melodic Death Metal. Unlike bands as IN FLAMES or SOILWORK, for the sake of the argument, which turned into new age Hardcore, SYMBOLIC turned into the rather Nu-Metal type of music that is way commercialized than Hardcore or its mutation, Metalcore.

As I said earlier, it is great to have such a band as SYMBOLIC on the worldwide arsenal. Their will to do something else is admirable and I think that their idea was terrific. Nevertheless, they misplaced a few things on their material that made their innovations not that pleasant to say the least. First of all, I didn't like the vocal usage that was done here. Why singing, or shrugging, with low-toned growls? I like this kind of tones when those should be as on bands like DYING FETUS, SINISTER or DEICIDE. I don't think that there is a good way to employ low growls with a catchy chorus, it is just not it with all due respect to the band's vocalist. Second of all, the overall material wasn't that appealing, although the band's best melodic example, "Achilles' Sons", made the sun shine on this band's face. There is a wayward potential on tracks as "Scarvest" and the instrumental "MySery".

In general, SYMBOLIC made a fine move on this album. But I think that they have time to put their methods into perfection