Altsounds - Reign Supreme - Testing The Limit of Infinite [Album]

Ok, I confess, this is definitely not my cup of tea. So, in all fairness, I tried to find more information about Reign Supreme, see what others think, what the strengths and weaknesses of their album may be, what to look for, who it may appeal to. The music world seems to agree that "Testing The Limit of Infinite" is another hardcore metal masterpiece by Deathwish, what an uplifting name for a label.

Now, if you have any other Deathwish record in your collection and you’re not using it as a coaster, stop reading now and fly to the record store to get yourself this piece of honest, straightforward hardcore metal as it’s meant to be. Violent, loud, uncomfortable, "Testing The Limits Of Infinite" also tests your speakers limits and the neighbour’s patience! If this doesn’t sound like you though, keep hold of your pocket money for this week and keep reading, because here’s where MY review starts.

Unable to catch a single word of the senseless screaming, I go through the booklet, to find out that the lyrics contain subtle and less subtle references to other artists’ lyrics, and gratitude is expressed in the credits to The Smiths, Bad Brains, Straight Ahead, Sheer Terror, Reach the Sky and Full Speed Ahead for this. Reign Supreme, however, seem to have done a great job extracting out of these people’s work only the darkest possible lyrics to compose their own. The whole album is a sad angry tale of hopelessness, pain, solitude, deception, the meaninglessness of life. Reign Supreme may lyrically succeed where Ozzy failed by being rightly accused and sentenced for instigation to suicide. That said, they’re quite poetic, if you take off the various “fucking” and “Goddamn”.

Vocally, the only fact that kind of impresses me is how this guy still has his vocal chords intact. Musically it is like letting all the pupils in some dodgy popular primary school take over the kitchen and its related tools. Yes, again, it’s not my cup of tea, I do prefer to listen to something more uplifting and melodic; still, there are days when I need to let some steam out and can go as far as Rage Against the Machine or even Slipknot in very small doses. I can even understand people listening to Iron Maiden, Metallica and the likes; they’re very good at cancelling the effect of my antidepressants and make me think about the Armageddon with a sense of anticipation and sinister hope, however if it touches you in any way it is good, I say.

As for commenting single tracks out of this album, I’ve been listening to it a few times and I can’t even make up when a song ends and a new one starts. Apart from the instrumental 'Waiting,' where at least I’m spared the screaming and the lyrical darkness, they all sound the same to me.

“Testing The Limits Of Infinite” doesn’t make me want to shoot someone (which may have its uses), doesn’t make me want to shoot myself (as I can’t catch a word of the lyrics), but definitely makes me want to shoot the CD player, and that sucks. It’s just highly annoying to my ears and my brain. Please, if anyone here can explain what‘s the point of this kind of music and what feelings and thoughts it can possibly provoke either than the aforementioned shooting desire, email me. I’d be eternally grateful to be enlightened.