From California comes this hot new progressive extreme metal band Sorizon and their debut Behind the Emerald Starscape. It's interesting to note that the style these guys play is something you would normally hear from Scandinavia or Canada. A little bit of Dark Tranquility, Arch Enemy, Into Eternity, Mercenary, Scar Symmetry, Divinity, and In Flames pop into their music from time to time, as well as some power/prog metal influences such as Symphony X. So, though Sorizon might not initially be the most unique band you will ever hear, considering that this is their first album, and self-released at that, the professionalism that surrounds this album makes it a must hear for metal fans.
The alternating of clean vocals with growls/screams of Keith McIntosh is quite well done (and this is where the Into Eternity/Divinity comparisons really come into play), as he handles all with utter conviction and power. His soaring pipes on the epic power metal track "Beauty In Darkness" never fails to impress, as does his trading off between clean & shrieks on the raging numbers "Cosmic Eden" and "Lady of the Sea". The rest of the band are equally as talented; check out the blistering harmony leads from Danny Mann & Aj Jorion at the intro to the thrash/prog metal gem "Don't Just Exist", or the two guitar studs laying down some complex lines over the insane rhythms from bassist Keith Hoffman & drummer Sean Elston on the intricate instrumental "Earth War 1". If you like epic sounding progressive metal, you can't go wrong with "Bridges Burned", a song with flurries of nimble drum fills from Elston and plenty of tasty guitar leads.
Lots of melody abounds on Behind the Emerald Starscape, and when you mix that up with the right amount of complex interplay as well as brutality, you have a real winner of an album. This is one band that has a very bright future ahead of them, and I can't think of any major metal label that wouldn't like to have Sorizon on their roster.
Track Listing
1. Cosmic Eden 3:56
2. Atlantis 3:51
3. Lady Of The Sea 5:07
4. Kirsnabogg (Instrumental) 1:18
5. Beauty In Darkness 5:13
6. Don't Just Exist 4:22
7. Earth War I (Instrumental) 3:09
8. Buried 3:09
9. Bridges Burned 5:06
10. La Fee Verte 4:39
11. Outreach 3:29
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