Cipher System Central Tunnel Eight

Some of my favorite bands have come out of the prolific Swedish metal scene, and then there are a great deal more bands that have been influenced by the "Gothenburg" sound. However, in recent memory, I feel saturated by the amount of European metal acts that sound the same and don't even come close to achieving the level of intensity of bands like At the Gates, Soilwork, or The Haunted. Cipher System, unfortunately falls into a rather bland category. I will give Cipher System props for being good at what they do, but the bands they are influenced by are so much better. The main problem this band seems to have (as is often the case) is that they don't bring anything new to the game. Central Tunnel Eight relies more on rehashing sounds of Soilwork and Dark Tranquility. I definitely think those are two great bands to have as influences, but I think these guys should try harder to bring something more creative to their songs, because, with this album, there isn't much to set Cipher System apart from the crowd. Overall, Central Tunnel Eight is packed full of melodic metal and keyboard sounds, which add a decent layer of atmosphere. The keyboards aren't out in the front, and remind me a good deal of earlier Soilwork, ala "A Predator's Portrait." There are a few songs that have a good thrash quality and are quite catchy. During a few listens of this album, a couple of songs ("State Unknown" in particular) reminded me of Dark Tranquility's "Damage Done" so much that I had to make sure I was listening to the correct album. Cipher System definitely play the part well, and I can't take away from their musical performance. Central Tunnel Eight was recorded at Studio Fredman by Patrik J-Sten and Fredrik Nordstrom, and I knew this sound before I read the information sheet. This record sounds as good as any In Flames or Dark Tranquility albums that I've heard. Everything is absolutely clear, yet crushing. I suppose if you want to sound like the masters, it would help to record at the same studio. Bottom Line: I may be a harsher critic of this kind of metal because I've been listening to it for a long time, but I really can't find anything in Central Tunnel Eight that stands out. While these guys are definitely talented musicians, I think they just lack enough creativity to stand up and be noticed. If you are interested in hearing another melodic, thrash band, then you might want to check out Cipher System, but there are other bands doing it much better.