THE TREES ARE DEAD & DRIED OUT WAIT FOR SOMETHING WILD

This is definately one of the most innovative CD's released this decade. If you're into metal and appriciate music with a twist to it (why else are you on this site?) I strongly recommend you to listen to this album. Although some songs have a more 'default metal' character you will quickly notice the differences between SikTh and every other metalband on the scene at the moment. Now, whilst this can be consider a mathcore band and you've never heard them before you'll hopefully be suprised by the musicality they show. The album contains several rather unorthodox features for a metalalbum, such as mellow pianopieces ("emerson pt.1-2"), moody dreamlike songs ("tupelo", "can't we all dream?") and full length tracks of spoken word like the grand finale "when will the forest speak?".

Well worth pointing out are the excellent musicians whom do not only play very, very well but also contribute into making this album unique with they're own playstyle. Singers Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill are simply a "must hear", something I say the metalscene has been missing the last decade. Dan Weller and Graham 'Pin' Pinney play some insane guitar here! Not only are the various guitar parts very difficult, but also very interesting and show grand originality. Basist James Leach and drummer Dan Foord fill out the last slot of the music into completing this 5 star-rating, which is something you shouldn't throw away easily. James is finally a basist that can be actually heard in music, partially through the brilliant mixing but also through his ability to find actual melodies and grooves that don't only follow the guitar, which is something i typically find dull in metalmusic. Lastly, Dan Foord. Now, being a drummer myself I can sincerely say that few drummer would've done the job better in this matter, and while showing diversity and skill he is also fulfilling his task as a solid timekeeper.

Overall I feel that this is a very solid album and the diverse tracklist makes up for some great dynamics and keeps the album interesting from the first song to the very last. A great mix of crazy guitar passages, catchy melodies, hysterical vocalparts, dynamic instrumentalists and interesting lyrics makes this a five star CD. If you're able to stand metal but still like progmusic, this is the album you ought to buy next time dropping by your music store.