Hmmm, this was a tough one; starting from the band pics I could decide not to review this one at all. I mean a Metal band with almost Emocore looks? Come on guys not that image is a necessary element in Metal but... After the 'image' shock came the first biography data which placed the Britishi band in the Metalcore scene that I happen to hate. Ok, hold your horses there are some bands in this scene that are actually writing music but I think it is the minority. So, two already disadvantages for this release without even touching the 'play' button. Let's see what will happen...
THE EYES OF A TRAITOR is a five piece Metalcore band that suprisingly comes from the U.K. The band already has one release under the belt in the form the EP entitled By Sunset that came out in 2007. The positive media reaction gave the band the chance to ink a three record with Listenable Records.
The album kicks in with Under Siege and graps you by the throat. The music is solid enough for Metalcore with almost brutal vocals and of course a clean break just before the chorus. Here there are no suprises; down tuned guitars and repeatative PANTERA-like riffs are all that I can comment on. Like Clockwork follows with the surprise of some interested double guitar harmonies that fall out of the Metalcore restricted boundary. The track sets a foot upon the Gothenburg sound revealing a more organised structure with nice keyboards in the background. Things become more interesting when the guitar solo enters! Indeed Metalcore with guitar solos! Actually, the British guitar duo is lays down some fast sweeping solos among the melodic phrases adding depth to the music. The impressive guitar work continues in With Different Eyes that shares some of CHIMAIRA's heaviness with the staccato rhythm and the down pitched vocals. Ok, the overuse of the vocal distortion sounds definitely predictable that based on my taste quickly becoms boring but what the heck you cannot have it all.
The guitar solos and fills help THE EYES OF A TRAITOR to add structure to their music that (I believe) is the biggest flaw in the Metalcore sound. With solos you get the feeling of completion knowing where the songs starts and where it ends. The classic clean vs aggresive vocal recipe turns to be more interesting when it is served with some fast hammer-ons and pull offs as heard in Escape These Walls. With Decorus I could not help myself but think of IN FLAMES and their The Chosen Pessimist from their latest masterpiece. This track comprises atmospheric down mood keyboards that actually fit the shouting vocals leading to another very good guitar solo. The thing is that I started enjoy the album somehwere in the middle; Echoes comes strong with neck snapping grooves while the MACHINE HEAD riff influences surface up in Hands Of Time that also adds some catchy harmonies during the tempo breaks.
This something new to me and I admit I am happy about it; this album reached me under the Metalcore label and convinced me to listen it more than enough to write a decent and fair review. The British lads have some interesting ideas to sliglty diferentiate them from the overloaded mainstream scene without re-discovering the wheel. On the other hand this is their debut release that raises some expectations for the next move where (I think/hope) the band will solidify its musical identity and eventually fully deploy the existing composing potentials.
PS: I think on the cover art there is Ephialtes who betrayed Leonidas' loyal army in the Gates of Fire (Thermopylae) battle...