AlbumsNovember 29, 20118,722 views

Scar Symmetry Pitch Black Progress


Pitch Black Progress
01. The Illusionist 02. Slaves to the Subliminal 03. Mind Machine 04. Pitch Black Progress 05. Calculate the Apocalypse 06. Dreaming 24/7 07. Abstracted 08. The Kaleidoscopic God 09. Retaliator 10. Oscillation Point 11. The Path of Least Resistance
2006 Nuclear Blast Records
Our score 4

5/19/2006

The first line from the press release for Scar Symmetry's newest album Pitch Black Progress reads: "Just when you think a genre has exhausted its possibilities, when a certain style of metal has hit the wall of mediocrity, along comes a band to jolt life back into it." Um... I call bullshit. When I first saw the name Scar Symmetry accompanied by dark sci-fi cover art I thought, "Oh, Jesus.nu metal." When I then saw that it was released by Nuclear Blast I thought, "this could end up sounding like anything." After all, bands as disparate as Agnostic Front and Dimmu Borgir are on Nuclear Blast. Now I don't want to give the impression that I only review albums based on marketing aesthetics and not the music itself. However, other reviewers out there will understand that a certain combination of press, packaging, and band name can give the reviewer pause, and usually with good reason. Once again, this reasoning has proved accurate. One would think that Scar Symmetry would have fine potential considering it contains members of respected Swedish bands such as Carnal Forge.Disappointingly however, the listener won't find any blazing thrash here, or anything remotely unique and exciting for that matter. Pitch Black Progress immediately sounds like a Soilwork clone only not done quite as well (which might even be considered horrible relative to recent output from the band). The songwriting is virtually the same. There are the down-tuned guitars playing heavy at one point, and melodic at the next, which also gives way to the vocal changes, and it's all backed by pointless keyboard padding. Also compared to Soilwork's output, the vocals tend to suffer on Pitch Black Progress. The screamed and growled vocals are laughable at best, and when the sometimes operatic clean vocals come in, the listener expects to see a miniature Stonehenge drop from above. I'm really not kidding. There's no use in even trying to compare Scar Symmetry to other bands or other sounds. It's well produced, and the members clearly have talent, but if you own any Soilwork album, then you have already heard this. Bottom Line: Pitch Black Progress is just another mediocre tome in the beaten dead horse history of Swedish metal.

45 comments

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rob_mcfeters_ 5/19/2006 2:19:55 PM

br00tal

daikini_ 5/19/2006 2:34:10 PM

first post since first poster didn't say it

Coley Thrash_ 5/19/2006 2:59:08 PM

^ Hahaha.

XOmeletX_ 5/19/2006 3:06:29 PM

Good review

ofgo_ 5/19/2006 3:54:12 PM

Good review. Shitty band..

_ 5/19/2006 4:06:40 PM

wow, what a terrible review given to a great band. leave it to lambgoat to talk shit on good bands and praise the shit bands out there

HB_Dad_ 5/19/2006 4:20:51 PM

"when the sometimes operatic clean vocals come in, the listener expects to see a miniature Stonehenge drop from above. I'm really not kidding." Ha ha ha!

hxcobd_ 5/19/2006 4:42:25 PM

"The screamed and growled vocals are laughable at best, and when the sometimes operatic clean vocals come in, the listener expects to see a miniature Stonehenge drop from above." What the f*ck does that even mean?

panzer_ 5/19/2006 4:48:45 PM

"The screamed and growled vocals are laughable at best, and when the sometimes operatic clean vocals come in, the listener expects to see a miniature Stonehenge drop from above." What the f*ck does that even mean? posted by hxcobd () on 5/19/2006 4:42:25 PM ------ Somebody has never seen Spinal Tap.

bigego_ 5/19/2006 9:29:13 PM

the email from earache and metal tracks or whatever had this on there with an mp3....gayness

ur mom_ 5/19/2006 9:42:51 PM

Ash is dumb. He obviously has his ears clogged with garbage. Don't take reviews seriously. LONG LIVE SCAR SYMMETRY!!!

anaturaldisaster_ 5/20/2006 3:03:16 AM

This band is actually pretty decent from what I remember.

ryan_ 5/20/2006 5:24:18 AM

shit review, shit reviewer, go do some ninja kicks, this band rocks. awesome musicianship and songs. the guitarist pulls off alan holdsworth licks in his solos nuff said. this is what soilwork should be now.

fgfgfhfghfg_ 5/20/2006 6:53:55 AM

soilwork sucks, this band sucks, everything sucks, i want to die

ilkay_ 5/20/2006 10:51:35 AM

best album of the year........ moron

TypicLGUser_ 5/20/2006 11:40:33 AM

This review is just another mediocre tome in the beaten dead horse history of shitty/amateurish Lambgoat Reviews. And no, I care not about this band, they could very well be as horrible as described. This review is just retarded.

Dear Lambgoat_ 5/20/2006 1:53:43 PM

stop reviewing records by bands no one gives a shit about.

son of sanford_ 5/20/2006 2:22:51 PM

um...just stop reviewing records period, lambgoat. also, this band is f*cking laughable at best.

Doomshred_ 5/20/2006 9:11:52 PM

Man this shit is facking terrible.

kragg_ 5/22/2006 12:19:32 PM

Generic Swede leads.

Matt_ 5/22/2006 6:57:12 PM

Good review. I'm so tired of seeing the endless praise heaped on this entirely boring band.

justinbean_ 5/23/2006 1:25:04 PM

i loved their first album, and thought it blew soilwork's latest work out of the water. for a different opinion, go to metalreview.com. they liked it over there.

John_ 5/24/2006 2:51:36 PM

This is possibly the gayest review I have ever seen. Whoever wrote is a total retard, and would probably contribute more to the world by killing themselves. Honestly, what a f*cking terrible review, it's clear that the reviewers has no clue about what he's talking about. No clue at all.

JZ_ 5/27/2006 7:07:01 PM

It's obvious this person who refuses to post his name as a reviewer has no authority to do reviews if this is how he/she is to produce them. Download the music, stick the c-ck back in this reviewers mouth and determine what you think of it for yourself..

JZ_ 5/27/2006 7:10:38 PM

ah, i see there is a name for this reviewer :) good. http://www.lambgoat.com/about/staff/view.aspx?id=23

JZ_ 5/27/2006 7:18:54 PM

At least you, Ash did alittle better with reviewing Nightrage though I still highly disagree even with how you review, how you determine how you will express your judgements...someone I'm sure would say that psy class would help this but it seems your overconfidence as an authority on being a reviewer has become counter-productive instead. Statements like this don't clarify anything, "..there just seems to be a little umph missing." :) Please take a music review course if you are to continue

RobG_ 5/28/2006 3:52:40 PM

Man, i cannot discribe how much this site sucks. This a just a damn good album so a big f*ck you to this review!

Right..._ 6/3/2006 4:14:41 PM

If you don't like the Music, then don't review it. And srry, this album has gotten very very good reviews, yet someone here actually thinks it is cool to write bs about a decent band. Maybe actually listen to it deepfully before you get to your conclusions. Even a clown coold review better

Cheesy_ 6/3/2006 5:19:20 PM

As Ash Levitt finishes his crappiest review of crappy reviews he reverts to licking his shoulder and rolling around in baby food like the retard he is.

whatever_ 6/4/2006 7:35:12 AM

man you really pissed me off with this review! what the f*ck are you talking about?! i just got the cd, and it blew me away! allmost nothing i heard in years cannot compare to this cd! as a musician myself, i know what was needed to make this album! i mean, these guys gave their sweat and blood litteraly to do this, they improved so much in such short time! and, you say that the vocals are no good??? jesus christ... you really have issues with yourself, who lets you to write this reviews anyway?

melodicmetalfan_ 6/4/2006 2:13:46 PM

i don't appreciate this review. this album is very great!!!!! It makes banging and dreaming!!! I love this music :)

anonymous 6/5/2006 4:17:22 AM

Scar Symmetry? An album for the ages? I must have gotten a different CD in my case.

Wouter_ 6/9/2006 1:14:21 PM

Seriously... dude you don't know what the hell you are talking about. Why even bother comparing this band to Soilwork... This shit is awesome, and if you disagree you should start listening to rap or just put a bullet through your head. You're saying no thrash??? f*ck man, listen to Calculate the Apocalypse, Slaves to the Subliminal, or Pitch Black Progress, that IS thrash... Seriously, if I read this review I question myself if you have even listened to the cd. f*ck man. It is aggression, catch

McChrill_ 6/17/2006 3:44:16 PM

Yep. This sure is one crappy review. Besides that, from the looks of it, two songs are missing. Carved In Stone (nr.12) and Deviate From The Form (nr.13) are the best songs from the album. The reviewer hasn't even written any detalis about the sound. Yeah, they sound like Soilwork but for f*cks sake, skip the shitty comparations. I think this album is one of the best I've heard in a long time. When you start to criticize the Swedish metal you're out in deep water... very deep.

soilwork_ 6/21/2006 5:51:15 PM

ash u bastard, go hack ur mom

sw33t_ 6/28/2006 5:13:05 PM

this band is seriously f*cking horrible, amazing revew ash!

BlackSheep_ 7/1/2006 6:35:59 AM

well how many things are wrong with this review? shall we start boys n girls? 1. Waste half of the reviw on commeting the cover? wtf are wrong with you, pissed before you listen to the CD, just brilliant wow that convinced me that 1 of the best albums in 2006 sucks, yeah right get your thumb out of the ass! 2. Good you know other bands, but wtf diss Scar Symmetry with noting constructive, good good 3. Uniqe you ask As(s)h? the album is f*cking uniqe dear good 4. Begin to diss Soilwor

the chaosweaver_ 7/3/2006 9:40:36 AM

this review is the biggest bull shit in your pants that I have seen in my life. dont even start to talk shit about scar symmetry (The best band ever!) try to listen to the album and i'd like to see you make a better album bitch

Friar_ 8/13/2006 4:51:58 AM

Fact is that this album kicks the shit out of most of the metal that I've heard in the last year or so. I don't know what album the reviewer was listening to when he gave it such a horrible review, but he either doesn't like metal, or he has no ears. Scar Symmetry owns with their latest: "Pitch Black Progress". Songs of special interest: The Illusionist Mind Machine Pitch Black Progress Calculate the Apocalypse The Kaleidoscope God Retaliator Go listen to your emo, reviewer.

TNBS_ 8/18/2006 3:09:19 PM

i think its a shame you were so arrogant. attempt to listen to the music without comparing it to a another band you clearly know nothing about. you mentioned soilwork more times that you did scary symmetry and so you strike me as someone who is very condfused. i thought that some of the things you said were plain embarrassing, esp about the vocals, the growling is not laughable and if you think it is, you are clearly a cretin and havent listened to a lot of metal. if they had come before arch e

logan_ 8/31/2006 4:05:30 PM

i am on the side of pro-scar symmetry... they own and indeed breathe life into a genre which is apparently dying (really ?). just to point out if you like this genre, listen to it... its amazing. and if you dont then get the f*ck out, kick yourself in the balls, wallow in the pain and question why you care about something you dont like... f*cking loser. was gonna formulate a real argument but settled on this... hey reviewer- shaddap

logan_ 8/31/2006 4:23:31 PM

i was going to leave it there but i cant help lomyself. wtf is with all this shit ? comparisons ? sub-genres ? who gives a f*ck ? scar symmetry is deine shznit. i think all this arguing and bullshit shows one thing. metal sons are supposed to be into what the f*ck they want... regardless of what somone else thinks. i feel a great sadness knowing that my music has such a fragile affect on these whining bitches. for f*cks sake if you like this album, get it... if not... dont. just to make

its ok.._ 9/9/2006 11:05:31 PM

i liked the band some and the review was harsh cmon they deserve credit

Secondaryeffects_ 1/6/2007 3:31:28 PM

The guy who reviewed this album should be shot, he has obviously become bitter over listening to too much bullet for my valentine. Anyone lucky enough to be viewing this comment after letting this twats review seap into their brains PLEASE FOR GODS SAKE listen to the album yourself, because this guys review is certainly the minority of peoples opinions!!!

Chaosweaver_ 9/22/2007 1:52:52 PM

lol.....go listen to mastodon/isis/pelican underground fad garbage if you cant take Scar Symmetry. This band dominates you.