UNDERSTANDING CONSEQUENCES

Throughout all music styles and tastes the criteria for a "good vocalist" have always varied. Some maintain that vocal range is the deal, some claim it's how you present yourself while others favor "feel"-- the list is endless. I have always had some demented, indescribable criteria of my own of what I like in a vocalist. One thing that will forever stay on my list of "no-no-noes" is singing out of key. It will never, in this universe or another, be something that I'll talk in favor for. I think that there are times when a singer can step out of bounds-- I'm not a harmony fascist that demands that everything must happen within the confines of a certain scale or a specific "right approach". However, what happens vocally on this album is nothing short of a travesty.

Normally when a singer is lacking in a band you just have to tune the singer out and decide whether the music is strong enough instrumentally to work anyway. A lot of times this formula works and I have myself found that I can see beyond mediocre or even bad singers when the music in itself has been good enough. I tried this with Day Without Dawn-- my God, did I try it. Each listen I would at first get lured in by the beautiful chord phrasing and great melodies-- and then that shrill voice comes into the sound picture and it's like brain freeze for me. It's not so much a matter of me not preferring the way he sings, but a matter of him being constantly off key. His voice slides wildly between notes, almost constantly under or over shooting his mark. It's like they recorded the album and then transposed everything a half note down but kept the vocals as they were.

I realize that no person could really miss the fact how incredibly off the vocals are on this project, and considering the reviews, some even love it. This is an artistic choice by the band and by the singer, so there are no excuses. This is hands down the most horrible thing I've encountered in the world of singing.

This has been more of a long rant than a review, but hopefully some of you will consider this a warning. If you are sensitive about false notes in music, like I am, this will literary be like torture for your ears.

Oh yeah, the instrumental parts are brilliant and had this been recorded without the dreadful singing(I think this goes for the screaming as well, but it's almost great in comparison) it would probably be one of the greatest metal albums I've heard. All the more reason why I loathe it so passionately.

A fantastic record totally thrashed by insufferable whining and off key vocals.

2/5