East Of The Wall - "Ressentiment" CD

Couldn't get into this one, being all prog-metalcore with the requisite dual lung-shred vs. melodic vocals. To the band's credit, there are some really intense and technically-impressive passages here, mixing math-rock and hardcore, with almost jazzy precision. Instrumentally, EOTW are powerful and intense, and for that, I give them props. However, the lighter breakdowns remind me somehow of lame shite like P.O.D., though, and that's just not a good thing. It's those vocals, really. "Fleshmaker", for example, mixes the harsh/soft vox and displays the band's potent chops, but it all seems forced somehow. Like they're trying too much to cram it all into one song. Don't get me wrong, I adore beauty and melody as much as I require thorny aggression, but EOTW's collision of sounds and moods aren't fluid nor subtle to these ears. And the vocal stylings are stereotypical and just plain awful. No, thanks. Ditch the singing and you've got a superb album next time! (Translation Loss)

East Of The Wall site

East Of The Wallspace

Rosetta - "A Determinism Of Morality" CD

Taking obvious cues from post-metal juggernauts like Neurosis or Pelican, as well as the expansive, atmospheric guitar landscapes of Mono or Explosions In The Sky, this Philadelphia band's 4th full-length resonates with a duality that's impressive, if a bit hard to swallow for purists of either the avante-metal or post-rock scenes. On one hand, Rosetta's moody, churning guitarscapes are often as ambient and melodic (even delicate) as they are metallic. The throat-shredding vocals by Michael Armine act as a bit of a counterpoint to the band's sound, adding a powerful, lung-shearing anguish to the mix. Opening with the harsh "Ayil", which could be Mogwai if they added the guy from Isis on vocals, the stage is set for Rosetta's sprawling and textural songs, self-described cheekily as "metal for astronauts". Certainly, there are some superb, dense, and even beautiful passages here. Witness the chime & drone of "Je N'en Connais Pas la Fin", broken by Armine's gutteral vocals, and ending with a rather impressive epic buildup. Fans of bands like Envy can relate. Me? I really like parts of "A Determinism Of Morality", but can't get my head around the juxtaposition of brutal shouting with soul-crushing loveliness. (Translation Loss)

Rosetta site

Rosettaspace