LOST SOCIETY have been kicking up a storm since they debuted onto the scene some 10 or so years ago. Having enjoyed their sets regularly at Tuska Festival, it seemed like 2020 was a good year to finally sit down and check out one of their albums. “No Absolution” is coming out on February 21st, 2020, via Motion Label Group.
The album starts with the melodic and shredding “Nonbeliever,” a surprising change of pace, at least by my recognition of their sound. The song has really strong melodies and surprising variation of vocal styles. This creativity crosses over into “No Absolution,” another strong melodic track that is shockingly laid-back for what one might expect from LOST SOCIETY.
“Blood on Your Hands” takes you back into more traditional thrash, with more relentless drums, a good amount of time dedicated to guitar solos, and a lot of force. Soft clean vocals are quickly overtaken by screams in the beginning of “Artificial,” followed by a penetrating guitar line. This song also leans more towards the mid-tempo with a very melodic chorus. Samy Elbanna proves that he can do more than just scream; whether that’s a good thing would be up to the listener, but I for one am a fan! “Pray for Death” almost sounds like boss monster music with its low tones, but the chorus could have been more powerful/memorable.
“Outbreak (No Rest for the Sickest)” might have benefited from a bit more speed, though the quiet “there ain’t no rest for the sickest” sung in the background as Elbanna screams is a nice touch. The track is catchy as hell and will be great live. “My Prophecy” was about to lose me until the chorus, which kicked it up enough to pull me back. The fans of the older music might like this one a bit more than some of the others. “Mark Upon Your Skin” relies more on deep, chugging bass and drums as opposed to pure speed but manages to still his a good level of aggression.
There’s nothing held back for “Worthless,” one of the thrashiest songs on the album, with Elbanna screaming the song’s title repeatedly, combined with some pretty tight guitars throughout; it’s also rather short at just over 3 minutes in length. “Deliver Me” has a bit of a MEGADETH sound in the guitars while the vocal lines are a bit more reminiscent, surprisingly, of AVENGED SEVENFOLD. The album then closes with “Into Eternity” featuring none other than APOCALYPTICA! This surprising collaboration features Elbanna singing fully melodically and doing an excellent job of it while the cellos provide a very ambient and driven background as the song powerfully builds into Elbanna screaming “I will drown!” It’s a huge jump away from what’s normal for them but works really well.
If LOST SOCIETY is known for insane thrashing energy, these songs will likely be quite surprising and big fans of the first few albums might be put off by this one. I would urge you to give it a chance, just… don’t expect the same thing you’ve heard before. As someone coming into this album with a fresh ear, only ever listening to the California Easy Listening Version of “Terror Hungry,” I thoroughly enjoyed this album. As well, thinking back to the Best Tour Ever at the end of 2019, it had been the new material in the beginning that appealed to me right off the bat. Skill is not what’s in question here – as the solos, vocals, and overall band performance are still excellent – but rather, were you hoping for more of the same or are you interested in something different? It still seems like the type of music I’d be glad to bounce around to in a moshpit, and that’s enough for me.
Written by Bear Wiseman
Musicalypse, 2020
OV: 5632
OS: 9/10
Tracklist
- Nonbeliever
- No Absolution
- Blood on Your Hands
- Artificial
- Pray for Death
- Outbreak (No Rest for the Sickest)
- My Prophecy
- Mark Upon Your Skin
- Worthless
- Deliver Me
- Into Eternity ft. Apocalyptica
Lineup
Samy Elbanna – vocals, guitar
Arttu Lesonen – guitar, backing vocals
Mirko Lehtinen – bass, backing vocals
Taz Fagerström – drums
Label
Motion Label Group
Links
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