Review : Scarred -“Gaia-Medea”

Scarred

“Gaia-Medea”

Release Date : May 10 2013

Genre:  Death Metal

Label:  Klonosphere Records

Rating :6/10

Since I am not familiar with the  European death metal styles I was not sure what to expect from this band. However, I was pleasantly  surprised.  This record is a very complex mixture of musical elements. While, it maintains the over the top drumming and guttural vocals associated with Death Metal.  It brings in a symphonic like mixture of differing elements that are not normally found in the Metal genre, or at least not in my experience with it, “The Knot” starts out with a 80’s synth pop sound like your waiting for Annie Lennox to start singing.  Then it  is contrasted with with driving heavy guitars combined with the guttural vocals associated with Metal.

The record opens with one of the title tracks “Gaia” it begins with a sound effect of rumbling thunder or waves crashing and leads in to a lulling guitar picking that soothes the soul. It has audio from a news broadcast layered in to the opening mix before they kick the door in and get to business.  The drums on “Idiosyncrasy”  invoke images of a 50 caliber machine gun being fired from a passing helicopter while you await the invading army from the jungles. I thoroughly enjoyed “Medea” the drums invoke images of  Viking hoard landing on the shores coming to invade.

While not normally a fan of this generations metal I will have to admit that Scarred impressed me with this record. They complex sounds and their ability to look for different elements to include in their tracks impressed me very much. This is band that seems to take their music very seriously and isn’t caught up with  concerns of what people will think. They continue to make records like this one I will buy them.  I believe Thor would have this album in his collection when he sets off to do battle.

Brandon S –