Fear My Thoughts – Isolation

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Century Media
Produced by Daniel Bergstrand & Patrick Hagman

Germany’s Fear My Thoughts are more often than not described as a melodic death metal band, but that term really does the complexity of their current sound a disservice.

Isolation, their second album with vocalist Martin Fischer, is better described as a mix of Stabbing Westward and Primordial with occasional hints of Porcupine Tree. From time to time Fischer’s vocals are of the death metal persuasion, but the rest of the time they’re closer to the cleaner black metal vocals of Primordial’s Alan “Nemtheanga” Averill in most of the aggressive moments, with another softer tone for the quiet parts.

Nearly every song on Isolation has strong progressive elements to it over the base sound of Primordial’s epic anger (The Hunted) and Stabbing Westward’s expansive emotion (Bound And Weakened). Their choruses have that same quality as some of Primordial’s as well. Not one you’ll find yourself humming when you wake up in the morning, but will find you know when you come to listen to the song and will automatically sing along.

But they’re far from a Primordial copycat band. Creeping Lord, for example, has a Clawfinger style delivery with some Down like riffs thrown into the mix. Numbered By The Beast is one of the rare melodic death moments, while Through The Eyes of God has a Stone Sour styled melodic opening which leads to one of their more straight forward song structures with more Stabbing Westward overtones, with some wonderful clean guitar solos ushering in further melodic parts later on.

The sound of Lamb of God rears it’s head on Pitch Black, particularly in some of Fischer’s deliveries (see the growled “and you call me a liar”), then Burning Lamb/The Sacrifice closes things in a similar manner to earlier tracks like The Blind Walk Over The Edge and The Hunted.

Isolation has so many different influences and sounds in it’s impressively epic songs that fans of all the bands mentioned, and most similar bands, should find something to enjoy. If their live show is anything like as involving as this album it should be outstanding.

“ expansive emotion ”

Tracklist: Isolation / The Blind Walk Over The Edge / The Hunted / Numbered By The Beast / Bound And Weakened / Through The Eyes of God / Death Chamber / Pitch Black / Creeping Lord / Burning The Lamb/The Sacrifice

Photo(s): Alex Stiebritz | www.amx-design.de

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Death Metal, Progressive, Fear My Thoughts