She Was Nothing: Dancing Through Shadows

It's fair to say that prog metal newcomer She Was Nothing risks a lot on its debut, Dancing Through Shadows. Essentially, it's prog/death metal mixed with hyperactive techno, which, if nothing else, is somewhat of a novelty. Unfortunately, the group's approach is utterly generic and clichéd, resulting in a work that offers nothing worthwhile (unless bombastic annoyingness appeal to you). She Was Nothing's only real accomplishment here is proving definitively that these two genres should never mixed.

Opener "Owning Your Life" sets the stage well as an instrumental with prophetic insinuations of grand destiny. Honestly, it's probably the closest thing we'll ever get to Dream Theater recording pinball music, so if you've longed to hear that, well, this may suffice. Luckily (or not), this vibe is more or less maintained throughout the album, such as when "Proudly Guilty," with its sped up beats (complete with a bit of rapping) and emo vocals, recalls the beloved soundtrack of Sonic the Hedgehog. If this sounds too safe, you could always check out the horrendous guttural screams of "Beast without Mother" (a track so awful that even the indefinite article of the title had to leave, making it both sonically and grammatically offensive). There really aren't any moments on the record worth recognition (well, maybe the brief silences between the songs).

Of course, as with all music, tastes vary and opinions are wholly subjective. Dancing Through Shadows is perfect for those who want a bit of complex metal with their alcohol and drugs at a club (after all, who wants intricate musicianship, dynamics, and melodic songwriting when you can have repetitious thumps and cold timbres?). If, however, you want something listenable, well, it's best to avoid Dancing Through Shadows; it will drive you crazy almost instantly.

Track Listing
01 - Owning your life
02 - Proudly guilty
03 - Silence screams when you go away
04 - Beast without mother
05 - Falling forever
06 - Dancing Through Shadows pt. 1
07 - Dancing Through Shadows pt. 2
08 - Dancing Through Shadows pt. 3
09 - Right in the night (swn remix)
10 - Drinking the l=Life
11 - With the Lights Off
12 - Goddess of Nothing
13 - Fueldrops

Added: May 6th 2012
Reviewer: Jordan Blum
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 1893
Language: english

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