"Elements" consists of 13 high-intensity compositions, starting with the pulverizing first track, "This Is War". The album doesn't stray from the trademark Caliban recipe, where soaring guitars and pummeling drums give place to the calculated alteration between vicious screams and mesmerizing clean vocals. This, however, doesn't mean that the band gets old or repetitive in any way; if anything, they re-invent themselves with every release, creating relatable songs with big singalongs. I do appreciate that this album features another song with German lyrics. "Ich Blute Für Dich", one of the most savage songs the band has probably ever written, includes guest performances by Matthi of Nasty and Sebastian of Eskimo Callboy. Now mind you, I like the former but I've never been (and most likely never will be) a fan of the latter, so I was surprised to hear how well they both complemented the song. Diversity is also a driving force for this record, as it ranges from ferocity ("I Am Fear") to modern metalcore nuances ("Before Later Becomes Never") to spoken words -I consciously refrain from saying "rap"- and contagious choruses ("Carry On") without lacking in quality. Even songs that might not have caught the listener's attention at first, will start growing on them as the record keeps spinning.
"Elements" is an excellent creative output. Both unapologetic and catchy, it fiercely demonstrates Caliban's solid songwriting skills and thorough knowledge of their genre. The band has definitely exceeded my expectations (which, to be honest, were pretty high after the last couple of albums) and has provided us with vigorous anthems.
8.5/10
0 σχόλια :
Post a Comment