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░ ██ ██ Artist: Devoid ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Cup of Tears █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-02-26 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: MelodicRock Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ It can be very easy to lose sight of oneÆs core █
█ principles when faced with an ever-increasing list █
█ of albums to review. However, every now and then, █
█ an album will come along out of nowhere to remind █
█ me that I set up my site to feature bands that I █
█ like and that I deem worthy of some exposure, █
█ regardless of their relative fame or the label █
█ that they are signed with. The album in question █
█ is æCup of TearsÆ, the debut record from French █
█ melodic metal band Devoid. █
█ Devoid is the brainchild of guitarist Shad Mae and █
█ features vocalist Carsten æLizardÆ Schulz, █
█ keyboardist Jorris Guilbaud, bassist Ben Toquet █
█ and drummer Ben Wanders. But that only tells part █
█ of the story because Shad Mae has managed to █
█ enlist the services of some very highly respected █
█ guitarists to guest on the record. As such, the █
█ music on æCup of TearsÆ is littered with the █
█ talents of Mattias Ia Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), █
█ Daniel Palmqvist (Beyond The Katakomb), Magnus █
█ Karlsson (Primal Fear) and Henrik Danhage █
█ (Evergrey). █
█ Put all these musicians together and they have █
█ created an album that should find favour with fans █
█ of melodic heavy metal, particularly those who █
█ enjoy plenty of guitar histrionics and layers of █
█ keys. It isnÆt the most original of albums but █
█ what it lacks in uniqueness, it more than makes up █
█ for with strong compositions that become rather █
█ irresistible thanks to strong melodies, big, █
█ memorable hook-laden choruses and the vaguest hint █
█ of prog. █
█ I was approached by Shad Mae to review æCup of █
█ TearsÆ and during our brief exchanges, we realised █
█ we had a love of Evergrey in common. Therefore, in █
█ light of this and with the inclusion of Henrik █
█ Danhage as a guest, it will come as no surprise █
█ that the Swedish Gods (in my opinion) are one of █
█ the biggest influences on the sound of Devoid. █
█ WeÆre not talking æcloneÆ territory, but there are █
█ plenty of obvious reference points, such as the █
█ dark tones within æReligionÆ for example, the █
█ overall vibe and riffs of the muscular æColours █
█ Fade To GreyÆ or the tinkling keys within æAgonyÆ █
█ which are a spit of EvergreyÆs æMark of the █
█ TriangleÆ. But in addition to Evergrey, I do hear █
█ other references including hints of In Flames or █
█ Soilwork in the opening riffs of æCollective █
█ HeartÆ and even early Nightwish and Tristania when █
█ the symphonic arrangements become even more █
█ pronounced, such as within æReligionÆ █
█ Fortunately for Devoid, the song writing in █
█ general is strong enough to withstand the █
█ criticism that might come their way for these █
█ obvious homages to put it kindly. Indeed, the more █
█ I listen to æCup Of TearsÆ, the more I find myself █
█ enjoying it and more often than not, I get caught █
█ up in the exuberance of the material, not to █
█ mention the huge melodies that are worth the █
█ entrance fee alone. Just about every one of the 12 █
█ tracks has a hook that squarely hits the mark and █
█ ensures that I come back for more. █
█ Led by the very adept vocals of Carsten æLizardÆ █
█ Schulz, æCup Of TearsÆ is also an extremely █
█ consistent record, where the quality is maintained █
█ by and large from the beginning to the end; there █
█ are very few occasions where I feel that the flow █
█ is halted by a poor or substandard track. This is, █
█ of course, aided by a surprisingly strong and █
█ clear production that allows each of the █
█ instruments to shine. █
█ Favourite songs would have to include æOtherworldÆ █
█ with its powerful riffing and superb, █
█ synth-drenched sprawling chorus whilst æMind █
█ KeeperÆ catches the ear with the addition of an █
█ unexpected yet thoroughly welcome █
█ Scottish-sounding instrumentation. æThe Clock Is █
█ TickingÆ meanwhile benefits from an elegant █
█ acoustic-guitar led intro before exploding in a █
█ blaze of lead guitar flamboyance atop a muscular █
█ rhythm section. Plus, it seems to go without █
█ saying that the bridge and chorus to this track is █
█ immediate ear candy. █
█ In short, Devoid do not reinvent the melodic metal █
█ wheel. However, they do provide a massive amount █
█ of aural enjoyment thanks to a winning combination █
█ of quality song writing, strong individual █
█ performances and plenty of irresistible hooks. The █
█ result is a debut album that has surprised me and █
█ impressed me in equal parts. Do yourselves a █
█ favour and check Devoid out, because the chances █
█ are youÆll be impressed too. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Soldiers 5:37 ░
░ 2. Otherworld 4:29 ░
░ 3. Collective Heart 2:57 ░
░ 4. The Clock is Ticking 4:51 ░
░ 5. Killing Hands 5:54 ░
░ 6. Religion 4:20 ░
░ 7. Agony 3:51 ░
░ 8. Final Breath 2:06 ░
░ 9. Colours Fade to Grey 5:21 ░
░ 10. Mind Keeper 5:01 ░
░ 11. Cup of Tears 4:24 ░
░ 12. Hollow Point 5:02 ░
░ 53:53 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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