The Gothenburg Project 03.05.09: Soilwork (Part 4)
Posted by Matt Shoemaker on 03.05.2009
This week, I'll take a look at one of Soilwork's most popular albums, and also maybe their most most technical, Stabbing The Drama. I'll also show two pretty sick songs off of the album, so check it out!
Hey everyone. Sorry for the lack of column last week, but I was going through a bit of a crappy stretch, between being very sick and some personal issues, but for the most part, both are resolved. However, I have to run a short column this week, as tonight my band is playing in our college's "talent show", so my time is running short between practices and such.
The feedback on my review of Lamb of God'sWrath has been entertaining, to say the least, by the way.
So let's pick up where we left off two weeks ago. Dirk Verbeuren had just joined the band as the new drummer, and the band headed back to the studio to record their next album, Stabbing the Drama.
Album Info
Recorded: September 2004, Dug Out Studios, Fascination Street Studios Released: February 28, 2005, Nuclear Blast Records : Daniel Bergstrand
Track Listing
1. "Stabbing the Drama" − 4:34
2. "One with the Flies" − 4:00
3. "Weapon of Vanity" − 4:02
4. "The Crestfallen" − 3:46
5. "Nerve" − 3:38
6. "Stalemate" − 3:28
7. "Distance" − 4:29
8. "Observation Slave" − 4:09
9. "Fate in Motion" − 3:21
10. "Blind Eye Halo" − 2:24
This is the band's big break in the United States, as this is when they started getting a lot more recognition over here. This is also the album that got me into the band, so it definitely holds a little sentimental value. That being said, this falls in towards the top of the band's work. Definitely not their best, but not their worst. Every track on the album is solid, if not better. The opening track, also the first single off the album, is a catchy, melodic offering that allows the band to show off a little bit. Verbeuren's drum skills are immediately show, as he throws in flashy fills wherever he gets the chance. He is, without a doubt, one of the most talented drummers in metal today. Bjorn's screams/growls are still great, carrying the song through any low points it has. The band also shied away from the approach they took on Figure Number Five, in that the keyboard is not as present as it was on that album, although it is still cleary audible in some sections.
The next track, "One With The Flies", takes a little bit more of a mellow approach, at least during verses, as it reduces the song to just vocals, drums, and light bass, before exploding into a catchy chorus, complete with dance beats on the drums, which instantly makes a song awesome in my eyes. Again, Strid manages to mix his vocals perfectly, adding clean vocals only where they are truly needed, and not overdoing it.
Overall, this album is very powerful, scaling back on the melodic aspect of the metal, reserving it only for choruses (for the most part), and the choruses on most of the tracks are the highlights of the album. "The Crest Fallen" has the best chorus of the album, in my opinion. "Observation Slave"'s breakdown of clean vocals are also incredibly impressive, especially with the harmonization achieved on it.
"Blind Eye Halo" is also a standout on this album, as it's pretty much a pure speed over power song. Blindingly fast blast beats cement Verberuen's status as THE melodic death metal drummer of the past ten years, as his speed and precison have been hailed by pretty much everyone as being the high points of any Soilwork album. The guitars for this album, like almost always, are very solid, with some pretty interesting and innovative riffs.
Overall, this is definitely a staple for any Soilwork fan. It has pretty much everything you could look for in a melodic death metal album. 8/10
"Stabbing the Drama"
"Blind Eye Halo"
So that's all for me this week. Hopefully, we kick some ass in the talent show tonight. We're playing "Tip The Scales" by Rise Against and "Swim" by In Flames. Hopefully, I'll have a video of it for next week's column. Till then, take care.
