Scar Symmetry

Kjellgren? Wow. He was vital since the beginning. One of the main songwriters and he also produced. Live, I think the band will sound thinner without a second guitarist. Maybe they'll just hire a live player.

Need to get the new one soon!
 
Bought the new Scar Symmetry album plus At the Gates! I am quite excited about both releases. The former could become the new flag bearers of progressive death metal, if they aren't already and the latter... well, these guys are legends. First album in NINETEEN years!
 
Heard The Singularity (Phase I - Neohumanity) and I am very impressed. Some of the most catchy choruses from the catalogue and cool guitar work.
The album is very melodic. IMO Best bridge/chorus and coolest riff (@ 3.22) on this video. This track's guitar chord progressions, (e.g. in chorus Behold the Mighty fall down towards Failure ..(etc.) and first part of solo) sound as if they were inspired by eighties hard rock (e.g. Dio), but after the solo comes that awesome riff. Very rhythmic and dark. Recommended in best quality (CD with headphones)!

Coolest solos are IMO on the track Neuromancers (not yet uploaded on internet, but will as soon it is done).

The album is short (43 minutes) but I don't think that's a bad thing when it's good.

For the ones who didn't know, this band has "a Neil Peart", in a sense that the drummer writes all the lyrics. And he (the guy with mustache) also has a monotone voice when he talks about the lyrics. :)
This album is the first in a trilogy revolving around the theme of transhumanism.
 
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@Saapanael and may I also introduce @CriedWhenBrucieLeft, @MrKnickerbocker and @Zare (perhaps also @TheTalisman @The Mid-Distance Runner @SixesAlltheway and/or @mckindog ?) to Scar Symmetry? You might like the band for their guitar soli but I think their biggest strength is great balance between heaviness/rhythm and catchiness/melodies. This post will have focus on the first two albums (and one song from the third). It's not that the later albums are necessarily worse, but they might be a little more difficult to get into. These following songs grabbed me instantly by the throat and I wonder how you'll like them.

We kick off with Deviate from the Norm from the second album Pitch Black Progess. Can a song have more awesome melodic guitar riffs and leads and be so incredible rhythmic? No, it cannot. Such good vocals as well. @The Flash you might like this one. The verse has a kind of melody Depeche Mode might have used. ;) A fine dance track!

Then we slow down with Mind Machine, again from Pitch Black Progress. A lovely slow tempo track with good melodies and big chorus!

Then we go to the heavy title track (no clean vocals this one).

Now we turn up the speed and add melodies (watch out for the awesome guitar harmony in the pre-chorus!). 2012 -Demise of the Sun from the debut album Symmetric in Design. The soli kick ass!

The opening track from the same album, Chaosweaver. Impressive verses (love these grunts, riffs and bass drum patterns) and memorable chorus.

Great vibe with a few black metallish chords in Carved in Stone from Pitch Black Progress.
https://youtu.be/UHTcSTbzpqg

Veil of Illusions from the debut. Slower one again. What a solo!
https://youtu.be/rl8NtoZETc4

Opening track Morphogenesis from the third album Holographic Universe. Man, these pre-choruses an choruses are so good.
https://youtu.be/mebSi4PDC34
 
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Cool stuff, @Forostar, thanks! Thoughts below.

Deviate from the Form - how many vocalists do they have? The singer in the verse sounds different from the singer in the chorus (who sounds a bit like a less-trained Roy Khan) and both sound different from the growls. Also, you're damn right about the solos: that first one is incredibly interesting and much more melodic than I expected, as is the solo at the end of the song. Reminds me a little bit of Soilwork in the the vocal melodic structure, but with less obvious vocal production. Good song!

Mind Machine - a little more traditional in terms of hooky metal, but still a solid song. Not so much into the screaming vocals on this one (they sound a little alt-metal/scene metal to me) but the chorus is certainly big and catchy. Some damn awesome guitar in this one, too.

Pitch Black Progress - great music, but I don't love the growling again. Wish it had more bottom end. If you can't tell I like my growlies to be very bottom heavy a la Johan Hegg or Åkerfeldt. Kick ass guitar solo again, though it is rather short. Probably my least favorite of these songs you posted.

Demise of the 5th Sun - the Soilwork vibes are heavy with this one, too. I really dig it. Cool vocals, killer lead work, some pretty insane double bass work (triggered?), as well. I really dig the electronic work in this one, it's subtle but perfectly timed and adds a lot of layer. That harmonized second guitar solo sounds like a video game and it's awesome. Amazing prog finish, too!

Chaosweaver - lives up to the name, those riffs are very chaotic. I also really like the verses and the singing is really nice here. Catchy chorus with the interwoven vocal styles. Another stellar guitar solo, indeed.

Carved in Stone - so many different vocal styles are happening! I think this one feels a little cluttered. Enjoyable, for sure, but possibly too many things happening. That groovy bridge is awesome, though. Nice crazy bluesy solo followed by some killer tremelo picking.

Morphogenesis - weird keyboard work in the intro, but I quite like it. Great melodies in this one and an amazing, relaxed bridge with more stellar guitar work. Screaming part after the quiet solo is a little much, but still a very good song.
 
Foro prefers the first two albums, I prefer third and fourth :) And in general Foro cares more about melodies, I care more about catchiness and atmosphere, so even if we both like the same band we usually have very different favorites :)

My 2nd favorite from the 3rd album:
(Part at 2:23 after the drum fill is kickass)

And another one from the debut:
 
Good you post some more songs Night Prowler! People sure can explore the band from where they want of course.

The first three albums feature one vocalist doing all vocals. When he left, the band got two new singers. One for clean, the other for the grunts etcetera. Nice you checked it out Knick. I'd say play full albums, most stuff can be found I guess. The production is pretty cool. Courtesy of Jonas Kjellgren, one of the guitarists. He left the band a few years ago (now they continue with one guitarist; the more fluid solist!) and now solely focuses on studio/mastering work, together with Peter Tägtren (Hypocrisy).

MrKnickerbocker said:
Mind Machine - a little more traditional in terms of hooky metal, but still a solid song. Not so much into the screaming vocals on this one (they sound a little alt-metal/scene metal to me) but the chorus is certainly big and catchy. Some damn awesome guitar in this one, too.

Pitch Black Progress - great music, but I don't love the growling again. Wish it had more bottom end. If you can't tell I like my growlies to be very bottom heavy a la Johan Hegg or Åkerfeldt. Kick ass guitar solo again, though it is rather short. Probably my least favorite of these songs you posted.
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Mind Machine has very strong development, in a sense that the tension changes in the 2nd verse. It is a part in which I rather listen to the total (with these cool riffs!) although I really a bit of such screaming as well.

Pitch Black Progress, I thought these grunts are pretty low still. Although there are different ones. You don't hear this stuff so often (there are not that many Heggs and Åkerfeldt in melodic music anyway ;--) ) and if you don't make them the most important ingredient you come a long way. ;) I am taken by the rhythmic aspects of this song. Pulsating! If you play this loud, or on headphones it's hard to not start moving along. :)
 
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Just found out about Solution .45, the band in which ex-Scar Symmetry singer Christian sings. Their third album came out this summer.

Proggy stuff. Nice soli.
 
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