DEATH OF A DEAD DAY

Let's make it clear; "mathcore" is most definitely not my thing. Sure, a band can be talented as all hell, but if it comes off sounding needlessly chaotic and adolescent, I tune out pretty quickly. Of course, there are bands that manage to justify the sense of chaos with exciting ideas and intelligent songwriting. Sikth are a progressive metal band that shares the same scene as acts like Protest The Hero, and even Between The Buried And Me. What sets them apart however, is their devotion to pushing the envelope as much as they can. Bordering on avant-garde absurdity, Sikth's second and final album 'Death Of A Dead Day' may be a slight move towards consolidating their sound, but it is as mad and sporadic as just about anything you will find in metal today.

When I first heard of Sikth a year or two back, I did not think much of them. I thought them to be part of the scene that sought to encroach hardcore upon progressive metal, and regardless of their playing abilities, that sound has never been for me. I'm glad I decided to check these guys out again though; while aspects of 'Death Of A Dead Day' don't align perfectly with my tastes, I cannot help but be impressed by what they are doing here. In terms of comparisons, Sikth are somewhat similar to Protest The Hero, although Sikth are quite a bit more challenging and 'out there'. System Of A Down also comes to mind. The vocals here are chaotic and diverse, much like avant-metal champions UneXpect. In truth, the sound of this band goes everywhere, and in itself, that creates a firm impression. Although none of these songs are ones that will be getting stuck in a casual listener's head anytime soon, I don't hear many modern progressive metal bands who are able to keep their music consistently exciting and even downright fun to listen to.

Instrumentally, this band is wild. The compositions they write are highly demanding, and the band pulls it off remarkably. The vocals, while conveying some of the adolescent screams that turned me off from the band to begin with, are about as technical as the instruments, fitting odd lyrics around complex time signatures. Sikth will not appeal to a large demographic of people, even among metalheads. Even after several listens, it's difficult to find a rosetta stone to 'crack' this album, although that constant sense of being 'out there' is part of the appeal. Even when concentrating heavily on the music, 'Death Of A Dead Day' comes across as being extremely chaotic and quirky, but it's pulled off in such a way that that it becomes incredibly fun to listen to, in the same sense of a roller coaster. Sikth don't take themselves too seriously, but their music is executed with precision and leaves me feeling wowed.

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