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Soilwork:
Figure Number Five
At the release of their new album Figure Number Five, Soilwork stands at the vanguard of the Gothenburg sound. Along with brethren In Flames and Dark Tranquility, these Swedes are known for their ass-kicking brand of metal that combines the brutal vocal style of death metal with captivating, super-melodic guitar work. Although Figure Number Five remains mostly planted in this style, I must say that this new release is also quite a refinement of the Soilwork sound that I have come to know and love. First of all, Figure Number Five doesnt have the same sledgehammer-to-your-head type of heaviness that graced A Predators Portrait and the other early Soilwork albums. Even the mighty vocals of Bjorn Speed Strid, while still ferocious at times, have been toned down to feature the more melodic side of his voice. Furthermore, the production on Figure Number Five doesnt carry the same feeling of massive sensory-overload that made their previous effort, Natural Born Chaos, feel loud enough to blow your head off. But enough comparisons. What Figure Number Five does haveand have in spades I hasten to addis some of the most outstanding songwriting that I have heard in some time. Every song is focused, concise, and well-placed. Theres not one weak song here not even close. Its just song after song of totally original riff ideas, killer grooves, and mind-blowing melodic hooks. Soilwork have always been about massive hooks, and this release illustrates this facet more than ever. Speed lays out some of the tastiest, catchiest, and most melodic singing that Ive ever heard. Basically every song on this album has a chorus that will attach itself to you like a virus. It makes me realize just how melodically-challenged most radio friendly nu-metal bands are these days. THOSE bands are supposed to have the catchiest songs. Actually, Soilwork has Creed, Staind, and the rest of those bands beat by miles with better hooks and heaviness that could pound them into an early grave. Its not just the excellent songwriting that makes me love this album; its also the subtle production values and attention to detail. Give the album a spin and then tell me this: does Figure Number Five have any keyboards? If you dont pay attention, you might not be able to tell. Either way, the subtle use of keyboards on this album is damn near perfect. They add a touch of ambience here (Rejection Role), a melodic embellishment there (Brickwalker), and even some cool intros (Overload). But the keyboards are never over-used, never heavy-handed, and never too high in the mix, all of which have the potential to cause severe annoyance. For even more evidence of careful song execution, check out the softly strummed acoustic guitar on the intro to Departure Plan. Soilwork has displayed a new focus on high-quality and less aggressive songwriting, but I certainly dont want to give the impression that this band, whose debut album is entitled Steelbath Suicide, has gone soft or turned into some kind of wussy pop band that only focuses on being catchy. Just because a bands music doesnt rattle your skull like heavy artillery doesnt mean that they cant unleash the fucking fury. The heaviness on Figure Number Five is there, its just slightly hidden under layers of groove and melody. If you listen closely though, you will hear some truly devastating guitar work (the last third of Distortion Sleep or the fast verse riff in The Mindmaker are two stand out examples). Similarly, tasty drum fills and sweet double bass work are all over the place, even if they dont stick out. A few shortsighted people may raise a big fuss about Figure Number Five being a sell-out attempt to reach a mainstream audience. But it just aint so. True, the album doesnt stack up to the bands masterpiece A Predators Portrait. And its also true that Soilwork is focusing more and more on crafting the catchiest choruses ever. But Im a firm believer that no band should be criticized for writing memorable music. The ever-evolving Soilwork has stayed true to, and indeed expanded upon, their unique sound. With stellar song-craft, near perfect production, and heaviness enough to knock you on your ass, Figure Number Five is a fantastic album.
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