SIOS: Halcyon Failure

Sometimes an album clicks right from the start and that is exactly what happened the first time I played Halcyon Failure, the debut album from New Jersey band SIOS. This is another one of those pleasant surprises as I had no idea this band existed before I received my review copy.

SIOS are Phillip DeFreitas (vocals, bass), Christian Cruz (lead guitar), April Copes (rhythm guitar) and Gabriel Scholis-Fernandez (drums) . Even though this is a young band they do not sound like it at all. In fact, SIOS play beyond their years creating an interesting and engaging album with plenty of progressive metal chops and melodic flair. It is also a concept album. The utopian planet SIOS has unknowingly entered the presence of an evil entity bent on its destruction. It may sound a bit cheesy and I have to admit I have not listened to the lyrics closely enough to delve into this concept wise. The music, however, is another story as it is excellent. What I especially dig is the contrast between lighter shades of ambience and darker bursts of intense riffage. The guitar playing is excellent throughout whether showcasing delicate arpeggios or complicated rhythmic patterns. The band are clearly influenced by Coheed & Cambria as there is a similar eclectic edge to the riffs and vocals, which are also very well done.

In the short "Duo Vigilans Finem" a tranquil piano starts the disc with heavier strokes hinting at the intensity yet to come. It doesn't take long for the riffs to start as the second track "The Garden Of Shades" is a heavier piece with a definite Coheed influence. The guitar here is superb. The catchy "Karmatic" offers more impressive tempo changes with a cool riff progression proving this is much more than your typical run-of-the-mill rock. More highlights include the excellent vocal arrangement in "Pyreflies" and the soft and heavy contrasts in the addictive "Lost In Wonderland". The rest of the disc is equally as powerful.

Halcyon Failure is an excellent debut from a band that can only get better. I for one can't wait to hear what they come out with next.

Track Listing:
1. Duo Vigilans Finem
2. The Garden Of Shades
3. Karmatic
4. Xi: A Witness To What?
5. Pyreflies
6. Lost In Wonderland
7. The Walls Of Morado
8. Heaven
9. Inside The Tides
10. The Evil In Us
11. Halcyon Failure I: Where The Change Grows
12. Halcyon Failure II: Confusion of Certainty
13. Halcyon Failure III: The Search For Duende

Added: September 30th 2013
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1928
Language: english

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