![Symphony Cult – Rewind To Fast Forward [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/1/2/4/7/5/symphonycult.jpg)
![Symphony Cult – Rewind To Fast Forward [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/altthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fhangout.altsounds.com%2Fgeek%2Fgars%2Fimages%2F1%2F2%2F4%2F7%2F5%2Fsymphonycult.jpg&w=500&h=500&zc=1&q=70){kind=small}
Spread the Social Love:
Symphony Cult is a band that I thought I knew about, but it wasn’t until I began to play the album that I realised that they were an entirely new concept for me. I was hugely pleased to see influences from Alice in Chains, Alter Bridge, Incubus and Skunk Anansie; which in my experience is the first time those four bands have been included in the same sentence. Either way, it stands to reason that this album is a powerful display of female fronted ambition and inspired musicianship. I suppose the moment I mention that a female is fronting a heavy band, thoughts will immediately turn to bands like Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and Flyleaf; however this band don’t slip under the umbrella formula previously expected and I listened to this album with absolute pleasure and enjoyment; not once finding myself making comparisons to the aforementioned.
‘Unspoken’ is an awesome song and really highlights the individuals in the band across both musical and vocal performance. Soaring and blissful phrasing by lead singer Charlotte optimises the importance of having a strong front woman. The drums are heavy and reliable, keeping a consistent and potential banging of one’s head momentum throughout. Now, if you want to hear some quaint and technical guitar playing; listen to the work of John and Barney on ‘Devastation’, with particular attention paid to the background acoustic guitar licks (listen hard, it’s worth it!). Oh, and those wild pinch harmonics are also included!
I always feel that Bass players get a rough ride when it comes to reviewing, because they tend to slip under the radar of being mentioned, but not in this case. Ladies and Gentlemen, turn your attention to the thunder-slapping and throaty mayhem of Mr Ben Lloyd on ‘Confess’ (which incidentally is one of my favourite tracks on the album). I am definitely a fan of monster riffing and when this beauty started up, I knew it would be a winner. I love the chorus arrangements and everyone achieves a cohesive sound – a sign of a truly polished outfit.
‘Under The Lights’ might be considered a more rock-ballad track in terms of changes in style and tempo. It slowly builds from explorations of palm muted guitars, to encompasses brilliant displays of established and well thought out drumming; using deep, bassy tom’s to add layers and build overall sound. Do you know what this song is missing though? A stunning mini-solo in the mid section would have finalised this track perfectly. But that’s just my opinion!
I might also cite ‘Speak’ as a very strong piece of musicianship and representing the longest track on the album at five minutes and forty three seconds, it achieves this with ease and brilliance. The added inclusion of male vocals gives a more rounded sound and a new dimension to what I have previously heard.
But what is my favourite track of the album? ‘Goodbye and Goodnight’ is a hands-down a work of genius. One thing I would love to hear though is a purely acoustic version of this, because I think lyrically it holds real weight and I’d like to hear it exposed slightly more. Either way, it is the type of track which immediately stands out as pure brilliance amongst already accomplished performances.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is a definite stadium band who deserve to both support large acts and have similar bands supporting them! If Symphony Cult don’t achieve spectacular things in the next 12 months, I would be very shocked. A really good album and well worth buying!
Official Video for ‘Until Tomorrow’
Social Networking pages:
As a side note, I do not like the album cover at all. It really doesn’t do the band justice in any way. In fact, if I was making a judgement based purely on that, I would have avoided listening to it, expecting it to be an album by a country/folk artist.
‘Unspoken’ is an awesome song and really highlights the individuals in the band across both musical and vocal performance. Soaring and blissful phrasing by lead singer Charlotte optimises the importance of having a strong front woman. The drums are heavy and reliable, keeping a consistent and potential banging of one’s head momentum throughout. Now, if you want to hear some quaint and technical guitar playing; listen to the work of John and Barney on ‘Devastation’, with particular attention paid to the background acoustic guitar licks (listen hard, it’s worth it!). Oh, and those wild pinch harmonics are also included!
I always feel that Bass players get a rough ride when it comes to reviewing, because they tend to slip under the radar of being mentioned, but not in this case. Ladies and Gentlemen, turn your attention to the thunder-slapping and throaty mayhem of Mr Ben Lloyd on ‘Confess’ (which incidentally is one of my favourite tracks on the album). I am definitely a fan of monster riffing and when this beauty started up, I knew it would be a winner. I love the chorus arrangements and everyone achieves a cohesive sound – a sign of a truly polished outfit.
‘Under The Lights’ might be considered a more rock-ballad track in terms of changes in style and tempo. It slowly builds from explorations of palm muted guitars, to encompasses brilliant displays of established and well thought out drumming; using deep, bassy tom’s to add layers and build overall sound. Do you know what this song is missing though? A stunning mini-solo in the mid section would have finalised this track perfectly. But that’s just my opinion!
I might also cite ‘Speak’ as a very strong piece of musicianship and representing the longest track on the album at five minutes and forty three seconds, it achieves this with ease and brilliance. The added inclusion of male vocals gives a more rounded sound and a new dimension to what I have previously heard.
But what is my favourite track of the album? ‘Goodbye and Goodnight’ is a hands-down a work of genius. One thing I would love to hear though is a purely acoustic version of this, because I think lyrically it holds real weight and I’d like to hear it exposed slightly more. Either way, it is the type of track which immediately stands out as pure brilliance amongst already accomplished performances.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is a definite stadium band who deserve to both support large acts and have similar bands supporting them! If Symphony Cult don’t achieve spectacular things in the next 12 months, I would be very shocked. A really good album and well worth buying!
Official Video for ‘Until Tomorrow’
Social Networking pages:
As a side note, I do not like the album cover at all. It really doesn’t do the band justice in any way. In fact, if I was making a judgement based purely on that, I would have avoided listening to it, expecting it to be an album by a country/folk artist.
![Review: Killswitch Engage - The Ritz, Manchester [Live]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/altthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fhangout.altsounds.com%2Fgeek%2Fgars%2Fimages%2F2%2F1%2F3%2F3%2F0%2Fkillswitch1.jpg&h=75&w=75&zc=1&q=70)
![Review: Disclosure - The Singles [EP]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/altthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fhangout.altsounds.com%2Fgeek%2Fgars%2Fimages%2F1%2F4%2F7%2F2%2F1%2Fdisclosure-the-singles-artwork.jpg&h=75&w=75&zc=1&q=70)
