Holographic Universe

Nuclear Blast

The truly remarkable talents of Sweden’s superior Metal force known as Scar Symmetry are back on the scene with a vengeance, delivering their latest masterpiece and third full length endeavor titled Holographic Universe and it comes as no surprise at all that these Scandinavian lads have once again bested themselves in a mighty and potentially death defying sense of anything related to the current mode of prevailing Metal inventiveness.

Following the tremendous success of their last effort, 2006’s breakthrough release Pitch Black Progress, the band has produced an invigorating set of new tunes that hold all of the expected trimmings fans could hope for, i.e. monster riffs, searing clean vocals, brutal death vocals and a wall of sound that is precise and ultra polished on all fronts. Frontman Christian Älvestam boasts a range that no doubt finds many aspiring vocalists salivating at every note sung and the twin guitar attack of Jonas Kjellgren and Per Nilsson is enough to drive Schenker and Malmsteen enthusiasts absolutely mad.

Favorite cuts include the perfectly balanced “Fear Catalyst”, which dutifully sums up the bands overall sound and general composure to a tee. The album opener “Morphogenesis” that immediately signals that the band have indeed matured sense the release of their previous offering and both “Ghost Prototype I - Measurement Of Thought” and “Ghost Prototype II - Deus Ex Machina” which instill a new level of artistic expression. Holographic Universe is a bona fide Metal treasure worth every penny shelled out!

-Priest