Sworn Enemy - Maniacal Review
Posted by Dan Marsicano on 04.29.2008
Sworn Enemy continues to evolve their sound with Maniacal, their third release. Can the band successfully add in thrash influences while pleasing their long time fans?
The Band
Sal LoCoco: Vocals
Lorenzo Antonucci: Guitar
Jamin Hunt: Guitar
Sid Caballero: Bass
Jordan Mancino: Drums
The Track Listing
1. Ignorance-2:44
2. Time to Rage-2:21
3. A Place of Solace-4:15
4. Weather the Storm-3:41
5. Destroyer-2:59
6. The American Way-3:17
7. Fear for Failure-3:20
8. No End to This Nightmare-3:18
9. Talk is Cheap-2:59
10. Said and Done-5:24
The Review
Anytime a band changes their sound, one of two things occur. The band actually sounds better with the new sound and fans flock to them or long time fans hate their sound, bash them, and the band is left to either continue down the beaten path or return to their old sound in order to please their hardcore fans.
Sworn Enemy started out as a hardcore band in the late 90’s, pumping out the heavy riffs and breakdowns to make all the young kids pound their skulls and go crazy in mosh pits. Not satisfied enough, the band decided to expand their sound to include more thrash elements. Now, in 2008, the band has released their third album, Maniacal, which is the most thrash metal-oriented album the band has ever released.
That’s not to say that the band has dropped their hardcore sound. The thrash and hardcore influences mix together perfectly for a sound that is brutal, fast, and full of crushing breakdowns. The band starts the album off perfectly, with two thrash/speed tracks that wouldn’t be out of place on an Anthrax or Overkill album. “Ignorance” is about as close to Slayer as the band has ever gotten, capping off with an absolutely insane solo that would make Kerry King proud. “Time To Rage” brings on the gang vocals and mixes them with the thrash. Most surprisingly, the band employs the use of blast beats at the end, which evokes a brief ode to death metal.
The rest of the album is pretty much a solid mix of hardcore and thrash metal. The band doesn’t really slow down too much, so the album flies by before you know it. Throughout the album, the band sounds like they are juggling the 80’s influences with their hardcore roots. “Weather the Storm” does something most modern metal bands would never have the balls to do; start off with a 45 second guitar solo. “Destroyer” turns from a decent hardcore song into balls to the wall speed that almost gave me a concussion from banging my head too hard the first time.
Sworn Enemy does slow the pace down a bit from time to time with mixed results. “A Place of Solace” opens up with a drum solo before sticking with slow riffing in the verses. The song picks up for a duel guitar solo that shows the chemistry the two guitarists have. “Fear for Failure” takes too long to really get going, having a 45 second intro that doesn’t go anyway, and closing track “Said and Done” ends the album on a high note, with a surprising minute long clean electric guitar outro.
Sal LoCoco switches between a hardcore bark and a growl that isn’t used enough. His vocals are easy to understand and aren’t as monotone as some hardcore vocalists have a tendency to be. Lorenzo Antonucci and Jamin Hunt are a solid duo together, playing off each other and adding some well-played solos into the mix. Sid Caballero and Jordan Mancino provided a steady rhythm section, with Mancino playing with passion and conviction with fill after fill throughout Maniacal.
Maniacal is an album that is about three things; speed, breakdowns, and heavy riffing. The album is short, only clocking in at 34 minutes, but it’s a perfect length. If the album was any longer, it could have suffered from repetitiveness. When Sworn Enemy shows off their thrash influences, the band is on fire, evoking feelings of classic heavy metal/thrash acts ala Slayer and Exodus. The hardcore sections aren’t bad, but some songs suffer from being just too slow. I don’t mind when a band slows down every once in a while, but Sworn Enemy is on top of their game when the speed increases. Maniacal is a worthwhile release, blending hardcore and thrash metal together to perfection. If Sworn Enemy continues to refine their skills, and drop the slow songs, we could be looking at a band that has a bright future in metal.
The 411: Maniacal is a great slab of thrash/hardcore that mixes the two genres almost perfectly. The album is at its high point when the band is playing fast and furious thrash metal. Once the band slows down a bit, the flaws seep out more clearly. Thankfully, Sworn Enemy doesn't slow down the pace too much, so you won't be too disappointed. Maniacal is another solid album for Sworn Enemy and should get them some recognition in the metal community.
