VITALS:
Name: Soilwork
Album: The Panic Broadcast
Release Date:07/13/2010
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre(s): Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Metal
Producer: Peter Wichers
OPINION
To say that I was excited for The Panic Broadcast to hit the shelves would be a gross and blatant understatement. Soilwork has been that one band in the melodic metal genre to successfully keep my attention. Sure, bands like In Flames or Amorphis are awesome too, without a doubt. However, when Stabbing the Drama released in 2005 it was such a substantive culmination of sonic wonder that it changed my whole opinion of Soilwork, for the better.
Skip ahead to the present…
Even with several changes in the lineup prior to this album, The Panic Broadcast brings some serious cheese to the table. Björn “Speed” Strid, Peter Wichers, Sven Karlsson, Ola Flink, Dirk Verbeuren, and Sylvain Coudret have created another new masterpiece to add to the Soilwork discography.
Let’s dig in…
“Late for the Kill, Early for the Slaughter” – At approximately 230bpm on the metronome and chock full of blast beats, this track made me realize EXACTLY why the album is called “The Panic Broadcast”. The chorus has a halftime feel with some catchy and melodically layered screams in pitch. Catchy stuff. Even a nice instrumental/solo section. A brutal Meshuggah-esque chuggah chuggah riff rounds out the end. Hell yes.
“Two Lives Worth of Reckoning” – This song has a nicely executed solo starting at the 3:10 mark.
“The Thrill” – One of those perfectly orchestrated and constructed Soilwork songs. Big huge chorus with harmonized clean vocals. The guitar riff that starts the song almost has a Bluegrass feel to it, only down-tuned.
“Deliverance Is Mine” – Consistent snare on the 2′s and 4′s (not sure why that caught my ear). Awesome choruses! Big solos.
“Night Comes Clean” – This song just has “march” written all over it, especially with the sound of troops jogging in lockstep in the beginning. Super-catchy chorus. I hear this song and think immediately of Demon Hunter. Similarities abound.
“Let This River Flow” – Lots of introspective room to let your ears breathe. Opens with a soft acoustic strumming pattern. Ambient guitar melody overdub cascades directly into a fully distorted and more aggressive chord section. Lots of good guitar work on this track.
“Epitome” – Hahaha if any of you are familiar with “Childs Play” by Carcass, tell me this intro doesn’t remind of you of that intro riff! Probably the most numetal sounding track in a while from these guys.
“The Akuma Afterglow” – Lots of sweet vocal harmonies here. Memorable melody.
“Enter Dog of Pavlov” – Intro reminds me of something off Chimaira’s The Infection album.
OVERALL
The Panic Broadcast is arguably the most technical and complete album Soilwork has written to date. Each song has room for each member to shine, be it through the technically proficient and melodically solid guitar solos or through the overall creative sound imbued with catchy choruses . The album is fresh and satisfying on lots of different levels and the production quality is superb. I didn’t enjoy this album much the first time I listened, but man has it grown on me like fungus since then!
RATING
(4/5)
Replay Value: High
Recommend? To those who enjoy some melody in their metal, absolutely.