Koldborn - The Uncanny Valley
Listenable

file under death metal / grindcore

Menno: A young band with a new record out. Modern death metal so they call them selves, and to make things worse…they’re Scandinavian. Quickly I start searching for some pictures of these lads and I’m not surprised to find a trucker-cap, some middle fingers and mucho tattoos. (death) Metalcore, exactly what I thought. Damn, how am I going to write a positive critic on this?

Good for them that their record, ‘The Uncanny Valley’ gives them the full right to use the prefix death with the term metalcore, since the vocals hardly ever use that horrible spastic scream we all hate. In stead, low grunts have the preference, just the way I like em. The same can be said for the steadily pounding blastbeats. Too bad all the songs have those typical ‘mosh’ parts which all are surprisingly alike. I’m sure you’ll know them, easy, low rhythms on the guitar with them slow, steady drumbeats. Nothing wrong with ‘em, but please don’t put them in every song.

The record isn’t awful; it just doesn’t grasp me by the throat. It’s nice and grooving, and while I’m writing this I even catch my feet tapping on the nice polka rhythms and blastbeats. Nevertheless, all the songs have neat structures, which make this record a bit predictable. As said, they all are quite similar to each other. A nice exception to this rule is the thrashy, Darkane-like ‘A Destiny Predicted’. Singer Lars’ brutal grunt is one of my personal highlights as well. It’s a pity that he and his mighty vocal cords aren’t enough to save this record. Nevertheless, modern death metal/metalcore lovers don’t have to be ashamed when this cd will come as an addition to his or her record collection in the next two weeks.

Rating: 65/100 (details)

http://www.koldborn.dk