Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Xerath - I CD (album) cover

I

Xerath

 

Tech/Extreme Prog Metal

4.00 | 24 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

UMUR
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars "I" is the debut full-length studio album by UK symphonic extreme metal act Xerath. The album was released through Candlelight Records in May 2009. The band was formed in 2007 and signed to the label in early 2009.

The band play a heavily orchestrated extreme metal style. The extreme metal part of their sound is influenced by the likes of Meshuggah and Strapping Young Lad. Especially chugging groove based angular riffing play a big part on the album. Xerath are no one-trick pony though and the music features influences from all sorts of other artists and musical styles too. Sometimes bordering progressive metal. The classically inspired synth/keyboards work is very impressive and are well integrated with the other parts of the music. Lead vocalist Richard Thomson is quite the asset to the bandīs sound. He is a very skilled extreme metal vocalist able to sing in quite a few different styles. The rest of the band are very well playing too.

...the most important thing though is that the music is really powerful and punchy. The symphonic element doesnīt take away any heaviness and just gives the music a slight polished edge and not a power stealing one. The sound production definitely deserves a mention too for helping to achieve this.

Despite the obvious influences heard in the music Iīd actually call the music on "I" pretty original or at least inventive and adventurous. Itīs not easy to combine heavy riffing and symphonic synths/keyboards and come away successful, but Xerath manage to do just that on "I" and a 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR | 4/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this XERATH review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.