Syndicate Reviews

From: THESCENELA.com Artist: Syndicate CD Review CD Title: Self-titled Cyrptic Records By Adam Bowman
This band's got Tom Hanks, Darth Vader, and Martin Luther King Jr., numerous voice recordings and mixes, a ton of famous quotes and even a little bit of Homer Simpson sound-alike. And that's just "Desensitized", the first song. Robert Gaston and the boys of Syndicate are putting forth some pretty fine metal grooves. Highlighted by a Deftones-meets-Rage Against The Machine sound in "Excuse", their self-titled release contains some powerfully poignant lyrics. The funky drum and bass work between bassist Jim Woltz and drummer J. Roxx in "I Want To Forget" gets ya ta move (especially the grunge meets jazz guitar solo), "No Idea" and "Reflections" are instrumentals (and damn fine ones at that). "Planet Earth...about to be recycled. Your only chance to survive or evacuate is to leave with us." Now if the opening words to that track isn't a rallying cry, the title of "Follow Me" certainly clinches that. The slower, more melancholy sounds in here are stewed with some faster paced, near hip-hop drum work. And throughout the entire album, Gaston again and again shows off pipes that could amaze even the heartiest of vocalists. The chorus to "You" provides ample example, trust me. "Distrust" will fill any metal fan's appetite, as the hair-twisting screams located throughout the track will have fans and critics alike going along to see if they can top it (best to have a glass of water nearby just in case, follow me on that one). The varying tempos are put together well, and the quadruple-tracked guitar solo will remind some of the interlude in "Excuse" (same tuning, perhaps?). Pound for pound (no Mental Hippie Blood jokes, please), the song rivals "Excuse" for the better compilation. At a SICKENING 29:48, "Blind" puts yon reviewer in mind of a male Kittie, only slowed down to near oblivion. Robert's voice shines here, and blends completely in with the scene staged by the rest of the trio. In a sign of true tightness, the tempo dies down and livens up, but the band remains together, eventually giving birth to a fine guitar solo, and one that makes you think Robert was playing you for an idiot this entire album (cause this thing is damnnnnn good). As for your hidden track(s) obligations: electric funk metal followed by System Of A Down-type horror music FOLLOWED by (you heard me) soaring guitar work followed by (yes, there's four hidden tracks) a song to remind of "Bombtrack". To put it all in a nutshell is harder than most would think, but with a wee bit of fine tuning, these guys are major players in the metal scene. Robert's high-pitched sound may lead some to stray, but the music is some of the best around, hands down. Keep your eyes on these three, there's a lot of potential here. For more Syndicate info, check their website: syndicatedirect.com

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