Antithesis - Dying For Life

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Nightmare Records
Catalog Number: NMR-99742
Format: CD
Total Time: 63:06:00

I don't like this album and I don't think anything will change my point of view.

Antithesis, whilst musically competent (although not exceptional), are let down by vocalist Ty Cook who can't hold a note nor decide what style he would like to sing in. His biggest influence sounds like it is The Tyrant, Harry Conklin, from Jag Panzer but he doesn't have his skills as a singer or a band that can consistently create congruous music to back him up. Further to Ty's vocals, he obviously enjoys singing in different styles from melodic to the more rough-around-the-edges death type vocals to a smooth style ("Soul Of Ice") and, for me, it just doesn't seem to work. Trying to sing different ways on one album I think is trying too much, especially for a relatively new band. Maybe if he found a successful way of singing within Antithesis and then develop that further before branching out things might be better. The music is so erratic that neither musicians nor the vocalist knows what is going on. The band throw in plenty of time changes and musical movements, but unfortunately it seems put together, not because they believe it sounds good, but because they can do it. And that's always a terrible way to go about writing an album. In other words, the music comes across as messy to the extreme and difficult to follow throughout the whole CD. All I wanted to do was to switch it off the moment I heard it. The music is extremely up-tempo but not overly melodic so for those looking for something smooth, then forget it. Finally, I want to say that the musicians sound like they can play, but as a complete band, it just doesn't work.

What Antithesis do offer is raw, hard and heavy metal in an old-school type vein but for me there are better bands out there.

Also released by Massacre Records in Europe (MAS CD0302); includes alternate track listing and the bonus track "Secret Fires" (3:41).

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Soul Of Ice (5:36) / Consequences (5:15) / Deceiver Within (4:51) / Distanced (6:11) / Times Of Trial (8:27) / Mad Poet (6:22) / Politicide (7:38) / Dying For Life (Limbo Pt 2) (9:12) / Netherworld [US Bonus track] (4:44)

Musicians:
Ty Cook - vocals
Sean Perry - guitars, vocals
Paul Konjicija - guitars, synth
James Lewis - bass
Paul 'Krusty' Kostyack - drums

Discography:
Antithesis (1999)
Dying For Life (2001)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: December 8th 2004
Reviewer: Gary Carson
Score:
Hits: 2080
Language: english