Steryle
We were recently contacted by Steryle about their album, Endless Winter, to see what we thought. Combining elements of death metal/metal/hardcore/rock and grindcore to produce their individual approach to music, this Roxboro based 5 piece seem to be set on world domination – so we thought if we’d help them along! That said, seeing as the band have already shared the stage with the likes of Unearth, Walls of Jericho, Bury Your Dead and 36 Crazyfists, it seems that these guys are already getting out there!
From the opening notes of A Crimson Nightmare it’s evident that this is some serious stuff going on here, blasting drums bombard you from every direction whilst a bass heavy riff ups the ante and keeps everything firmly rooted in the world of heavy. Combining hard roars and softer singing, this is a track which is going to destroy live venues, whip crowds into a frenzy and solidify this band as an act which needs to be seen to be believed! Give Beauty Her Bounty doesn’t offer any release, continuing to blend heavy elements with melody to create a sound which is not just mind-blowingly heavy, but also accessible and easy to listen to. Two tracks in it’s already apparent that these guys have worked hard on their sound to craft an album which offers more than simple metal, there’s too many elements to it to be able to pigeon hole it into one genre.
Inception presents us with another blistering opening, launching into a melee of hammering riffs, bass heavy rhythms and melodic vocals, once again crafting a track which is sure to slay on the live scene. This is also a hell of a catchy track, breaking down the walls into your mind to get your mind hooked on what the band are producing here. The Clarity almost comes as a shock after the combined force of previous tracks, opening with a simpler basis but once again managing to thrown down into a pit of raw aggression and all out power. Roving through the different sections of the track, this is one which is going to once again pull you in and make you get involved with the band, offering up a chorus catchy enough to sing along to and a break section powerful enough to break necks through the venue. As if they weren’t content with this, Deceit and Desire comes in next, opening with a soaring guitar line before launching into a pumping riff combined with soft vocals. What really stood out to me on this track was how the band have managed to stamp their own take onto the track, whilst still incorporating the various influences they’ve had over their time as a band. This track is one you have to hear, definitely a high point on the album.
From The Ashes Of Hope comes up to follow on, sounding almost more classic as it begins but soon smashing down the foundations of your house with the bass heavy mix they’ve gone for. This is the sort of music which houses down the street are going to feel rather than hear, the bass rumbling through the track like an ominous warning of what is to come. This is quite possibly my personal favourite track from the album, there’s just something about it which stands out to me – the combination of funky riffs and powerful drumming showing off how talented this band is when it comes to writing tracks. In Rising Tides follows the conventions of the album so far, once again launching you into the pit the band have created and keeping you moving from start to finish. Almost sounding slower at first than some of the previous tracks, it’s not long before the hammering double bass drum is setting the pace and you can see the pits forming in front of the stage, it’s a no holds barred approach but it works insanely well, we’ve just got to get these guys to gig over this way!
Calm After The Storm is another moment which stands out as a high point on the album, opening with an acoustic guitar line before moving into some emotionally laden vocal lines. This track comes as a real shock after the all out heavy approach of the album so far, but it’s almost a welcome respite allowing you a moment of reflection on what you’ve heard so far. Powerful whilst restrained, this track is a moment of pure genius, demonstrating that the band can do soft and melodic as well as hard and heavy, something a lot of bands seem to miss out on. Redemption on the other hand throws us firmly back into the more raw approach and resumes the frantic pace of aggression which the band are so at home with. Almost coming as one final hurrah, this track sounds even heavier thanks to the softness before it, leaving us content in the knowledge that there is a force out there still striving to produce music which will smash you in the face, then sooth you all at the same time.
As the album comes to a close with the Outro, there’s a moment of reflection to allow you to think about what you’ve heard, an emotional and soft piano line combining with synth effect strings to create one final moment of pure musical genius, almost summing up the album before it releases you. That’s the key here I think this isn’t just music which you listen to, it’s music which you experience and feel throughout the album, each track coming almost as a wash of a new emotion and leaving you wanting to hear more, almost craving one final hit from the band.
In summary, Steryle have blown me away with this album, they’ve taken a range of influences to craft an album which is mind blowing, thought evoking and quite simply, phenomenal. Sure, this is heavy, but it’s also melodic and accessible, and that’s a mix which very few bands manage to achieve. Definitely a band which you need to hear.
To find out more about Steryle, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
From the opening notes of A Crimson Nightmare it’s evident that this is some serious stuff going on here, blasting drums bombard you from every direction whilst a bass heavy riff ups the ante and keeps everything firmly rooted in the world of heavy. Combining hard roars and softer singing, this is a track which is going to destroy live venues, whip crowds into a frenzy and solidify this band as an act which needs to be seen to be believed! Give Beauty Her Bounty doesn’t offer any release, continuing to blend heavy elements with melody to create a sound which is not just mind-blowingly heavy, but also accessible and easy to listen to. Two tracks in it’s already apparent that these guys have worked hard on their sound to craft an album which offers more than simple metal, there’s too many elements to it to be able to pigeon hole it into one genre.
Inception presents us with another blistering opening, launching into a melee of hammering riffs, bass heavy rhythms and melodic vocals, once again crafting a track which is sure to slay on the live scene. This is also a hell of a catchy track, breaking down the walls into your mind to get your mind hooked on what the band are producing here. The Clarity almost comes as a shock after the combined force of previous tracks, opening with a simpler basis but once again managing to thrown down into a pit of raw aggression and all out power. Roving through the different sections of the track, this is one which is going to once again pull you in and make you get involved with the band, offering up a chorus catchy enough to sing along to and a break section powerful enough to break necks through the venue. As if they weren’t content with this, Deceit and Desire comes in next, opening with a soaring guitar line before launching into a pumping riff combined with soft vocals. What really stood out to me on this track was how the band have managed to stamp their own take onto the track, whilst still incorporating the various influences they’ve had over their time as a band. This track is one you have to hear, definitely a high point on the album.
From The Ashes Of Hope comes up to follow on, sounding almost more classic as it begins but soon smashing down the foundations of your house with the bass heavy mix they’ve gone for. This is the sort of music which houses down the street are going to feel rather than hear, the bass rumbling through the track like an ominous warning of what is to come. This is quite possibly my personal favourite track from the album, there’s just something about it which stands out to me – the combination of funky riffs and powerful drumming showing off how talented this band is when it comes to writing tracks. In Rising Tides follows the conventions of the album so far, once again launching you into the pit the band have created and keeping you moving from start to finish. Almost sounding slower at first than some of the previous tracks, it’s not long before the hammering double bass drum is setting the pace and you can see the pits forming in front of the stage, it’s a no holds barred approach but it works insanely well, we’ve just got to get these guys to gig over this way!
Calm After The Storm is another moment which stands out as a high point on the album, opening with an acoustic guitar line before moving into some emotionally laden vocal lines. This track comes as a real shock after the all out heavy approach of the album so far, but it’s almost a welcome respite allowing you a moment of reflection on what you’ve heard so far. Powerful whilst restrained, this track is a moment of pure genius, demonstrating that the band can do soft and melodic as well as hard and heavy, something a lot of bands seem to miss out on. Redemption on the other hand throws us firmly back into the more raw approach and resumes the frantic pace of aggression which the band are so at home with. Almost coming as one final hurrah, this track sounds even heavier thanks to the softness before it, leaving us content in the knowledge that there is a force out there still striving to produce music which will smash you in the face, then sooth you all at the same time.
As the album comes to a close with the Outro, there’s a moment of reflection to allow you to think about what you’ve heard, an emotional and soft piano line combining with synth effect strings to create one final moment of pure musical genius, almost summing up the album before it releases you. That’s the key here I think this isn’t just music which you listen to, it’s music which you experience and feel throughout the album, each track coming almost as a wash of a new emotion and leaving you wanting to hear more, almost craving one final hit from the band.
In summary, Steryle have blown me away with this album, they’ve taken a range of influences to craft an album which is mind blowing, thought evoking and quite simply, phenomenal. Sure, this is heavy, but it’s also melodic and accessible, and that’s a mix which very few bands manage to achieve. Definitely a band which you need to hear.
To find out more about Steryle, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
