Lazarus Syndrome
Although only formed in 2011, Lazarus Syndrome are already receiving a great deal of recognition and acclaim out there. Due to release their debut EP, Flatline, on March 26th of this year, the band have exploded out of the music scene in Liverpool with their own take on Swedish style Death Metal – which to me sounds pretty damned interesting!
From the opening notes of Foresaken it’s clear that this is a band which means business, their sound akin to the likes of Fear Factory at times yet somehow holding more power and aggression than Burton C Bell’s group ever could. Revolving around a distorted section of roaring chants, a chorus of soaring cleaned up vocals, a guitar solo which leads into a breakdown of epic proportions, and simple downright heaviness, this is an EP which is going to smash you in the face from the word go and force you to listen whether you want to or not. There’s something very clever in the sound they’ve managed to achieve here, it’s verging on industrial at times, yet always harking back to raw death metal combined with the melodical aspects of post-hardcore – it’s a mish mash that I’ve not come across before but works!
Devoured By Conflict is soon upon us, the syncopated introduction grabbing you by your face and getting you moving. Throwing in contrasting roaring vocals to add depth to the track as a whole, there’s once again a sense that this is nodding to their peers whilst still ensuring they are forming their own clear sound. The chorus once again comes in as a bit of a shock after the all out power of the earlier parts of the track, but what you end up with here is a moment of sheer genius, somehow combining the heaviest possible moments of metal with much softer elements, once again opening up the argument about the differences between styles of music. A Path Less Travelled is a serious highpoint on the album, and a moment which everyone needs to get out there and check out. Throwing straight into a hammering riff, backed up by rolling drums and spat vocals, all of a sudden you’re transported to a world of calm reflection, dropping the aggression and instead ushering in a dark and daunting sound. Roving between the two approaches, this is a track which seems to contrast itself, sounding almost uncomfortable at times whilst still somehow managing to continue the track in a manner which keeps you listening, it’s a clever mix and somehow the guys have made it work!
Finishing the EP with Blameless Creator you’re returned to the raw and powerful approach of the band one more time, this time opening the flood gates and allowing everything to hammer out at you, from blast beat drumming through to spat guttural roaring vocals. This is a track which simply isn’t for the feint hearted, but if you like your music hard and heavy, then this is a track for you! Throwing in some melodic vocals almost to allow a brief respite from the hammering heaviness, this is a track which not only finishes the EP but shows off the bands dark side, a side I hope to see a lot more of in coming releases!
Lazarus Syndrome are going to be an interesting band to watch, purely to see what they do next. As a debut EP, this is an accomplished piece of work, but it’s not without its faults. There are moments on the tracks which I don’t think work or are simply unnecessary, sometimes throwing in melodic vocals when they’re not needed and occasionally opting for a progression which you would expect to hear, but that’s part of the appeal I think. A debut EP isn’t meant to be perfect, it’s meant to show off what the band can do and where they might choose to go, and this does exactly that with aplomb!
To find out more about Lazarus Syndrome, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
From the opening notes of Foresaken it’s clear that this is a band which means business, their sound akin to the likes of Fear Factory at times yet somehow holding more power and aggression than Burton C Bell’s group ever could. Revolving around a distorted section of roaring chants, a chorus of soaring cleaned up vocals, a guitar solo which leads into a breakdown of epic proportions, and simple downright heaviness, this is an EP which is going to smash you in the face from the word go and force you to listen whether you want to or not. There’s something very clever in the sound they’ve managed to achieve here, it’s verging on industrial at times, yet always harking back to raw death metal combined with the melodical aspects of post-hardcore – it’s a mish mash that I’ve not come across before but works!
Devoured By Conflict is soon upon us, the syncopated introduction grabbing you by your face and getting you moving. Throwing in contrasting roaring vocals to add depth to the track as a whole, there’s once again a sense that this is nodding to their peers whilst still ensuring they are forming their own clear sound. The chorus once again comes in as a bit of a shock after the all out power of the earlier parts of the track, but what you end up with here is a moment of sheer genius, somehow combining the heaviest possible moments of metal with much softer elements, once again opening up the argument about the differences between styles of music. A Path Less Travelled is a serious highpoint on the album, and a moment which everyone needs to get out there and check out. Throwing straight into a hammering riff, backed up by rolling drums and spat vocals, all of a sudden you’re transported to a world of calm reflection, dropping the aggression and instead ushering in a dark and daunting sound. Roving between the two approaches, this is a track which seems to contrast itself, sounding almost uncomfortable at times whilst still somehow managing to continue the track in a manner which keeps you listening, it’s a clever mix and somehow the guys have made it work!
Finishing the EP with Blameless Creator you’re returned to the raw and powerful approach of the band one more time, this time opening the flood gates and allowing everything to hammer out at you, from blast beat drumming through to spat guttural roaring vocals. This is a track which simply isn’t for the feint hearted, but if you like your music hard and heavy, then this is a track for you! Throwing in some melodic vocals almost to allow a brief respite from the hammering heaviness, this is a track which not only finishes the EP but shows off the bands dark side, a side I hope to see a lot more of in coming releases!
Lazarus Syndrome are going to be an interesting band to watch, purely to see what they do next. As a debut EP, this is an accomplished piece of work, but it’s not without its faults. There are moments on the tracks which I don’t think work or are simply unnecessary, sometimes throwing in melodic vocals when they’re not needed and occasionally opting for a progression which you would expect to hear, but that’s part of the appeal I think. A debut EP isn’t meant to be perfect, it’s meant to show off what the band can do and where they might choose to go, and this does exactly that with aplomb!
To find out more about Lazarus Syndrome, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls