Tribune - Elder Lore - The Dark Arts
Finding a band like this is not something I would normally entertain to be honest by way of description, but something just clicked when I spun the opening track. Progressive and death metal mixed in a weird concoction of classic metal, clean and angry vocals backed intense guitar riff structures, this is quite a cocktail. The clean singing has a nasal delivery, but it has something that does not make you instantly want to repel your musical taste receptors. When I hear ‘It Came from the Swamps’ I fear a total brutal death metal carnage will come, however, when the singing comes in, wow, what a change what a catchy piece of music. It certainly has classic metal, and I mean British Metal influences, with a touch of the US’s Southern State aggression. This is a band from Burnaby in Canada bear in mind. I like the touches of funky bass, I don’t care for some of the screaming metalcore vocal’s that crop up from time to time. But one thing I would say, this one has it all, and by that I mean it has a vast range of quality metal influences without the music being confusing or disjointed. This art is often abused and assaulted upon the poor listener, in a confused fashion, but Tribune must take a massive pat on their backs, this really does work.
The quality of the recording continues with ‘Man on the Outside’, it begins in epic metal territory and continues into a groove laden mix teasing the listener into an infectious state of being. Other high value possession of Tribune is the album artwork (their third album thus far too) for ‘Elder Lore – The Dark Arts’. The relative tranquillity opening ‘The World’s Greatest Cynic’ is a remarkable way to build the listeners emotion, you are wondering where this is going to go. You have to wait a bit for the big bang in this one, and when it comes, it’s a solid piece of controllable relevance. I must admit I was expecting Tribune to add some “core”, but how wrong you can be based on first impressions. This is a perfect way to finish a bar raising album.
This is a top quality release; I don’t rate it any higher as I don’t like the screaming “core” vocals, but the music their arrangements are verging into Mastodon’s playground with a fresher, more honest delivery clearly audible and some of the arrangements are of a quality that I would expect from say someone like Tool, and they are damn perfectionists, hence, Tribune have massive potential.
The quality of the recording continues with ‘Man on the Outside’, it begins in epic metal territory and continues into a groove laden mix teasing the listener into an infectious state of being. Other high value possession of Tribune is the album artwork (their third album thus far too) for ‘Elder Lore – The Dark Arts’. The relative tranquillity opening ‘The World’s Greatest Cynic’ is a remarkable way to build the listeners emotion, you are wondering where this is going to go. You have to wait a bit for the big bang in this one, and when it comes, it’s a solid piece of controllable relevance. I must admit I was expecting Tribune to add some “core”, but how wrong you can be based on first impressions. This is a perfect way to finish a bar raising album.
This is a top quality release; I don’t rate it any higher as I don’t like the screaming “core” vocals, but the music their arrangements are verging into Mastodon’s playground with a fresher, more honest delivery clearly audible and some of the arrangements are of a quality that I would expect from say someone like Tool, and they are damn perfectionists, hence, Tribune have massive potential.
1. It Came From The Swamps…
2. The Succubus
3. Chemistry Arrives
4. The Warrior Mentality
5. Below
6. We, The Black
7. Man On The Outside
8. The World’s Greatest Cynic
2. The Succubus
3. Chemistry Arrives
4. The Warrior Mentality
5. Below
6. We, The Black
7. Man On The Outside
8. The World’s Greatest Cynic
