PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
What with all the turmoil and heartache billowing around the music world over the last few weeks, I was hoping to stumble upon a suitable gem to kick 2016 off with, and with this 24 carat offering I feel as if I have just scooped the rollover lottery jackpot
‘Everlasting’ represents Charm Designer’s follow up to 2008’s debut ‘Blood Sounds’, so a good eight years have passed by in between the two, a lengthy gap that can either signal a period of turmoil and inactivity, or a heads down determination to take stock and produce an album that will live long in the memory. I favour the latter
The bands promo description of ‘Gothic Doom’, is, I must admit what drew me in initially. However, after listening to the album a (possibly unhealthy) number of times, I feel that there is so much more than the boundaries of a single sub genre on offer here. Suitably dark and dangerous in places, there is also melody in abundance, indeed there are dare I say it damn right commercial passages within the album, tracks that deserve airplay and video channel exposure anyway
Having said all of that, the album is most definitely born from a Gothic womb, the title track and album opener falls squarely into that mould. A beautiful journey of solid riffs, acoustic and keyboard parts, growl and clean male vocal with an occasional female vocal thrown in, which actually made me think of Battlelore from years gone by, a really solid and impressive start. ‘The Replicant’ follows, an overall faster paced track with a deliciously subtle yet powerful bass line driving things along. ‘Never After’ sees the female guest vocal take a more prominent role, bringing a really strong additional string to the bands bow, and staking a claim for track of the album in my opinion. ‘Disruption’, with its dark and haunting intro. ‘Mentors’, with its 90’s tinged riff, the list goes on.
Of the nine tracks on offer, I have been waiting for one to fade from favour after a while but none have, indeed with each listen I become ever more hooked, an album with the perfect balance of dark and light, passion and pain and a credit to all involved. I seriously hope that it takes a lot less than another eight years before another album surfaces from this band as that would be an absolute crime against humanity. If you like all things Gothic and Metal, then this is an album you will most certainly enjoy, I know I did
Reviewers recommended track – ‘By The Unmasked’
Track Listing ;
Everlasting
The Replicant
Never After
Disruption
Mentors
Inertial Drain
Endowar
By The Unmasked
Policy Of Truth
Charm Designer is ;
Andres Herrera – Vocals and Guitars
Diego M Giorgi – Bass
Diego A Morales – Drums
Diego A Hernandez – Live Guitars
‘Everlasting’ is released through Inverse Records on February 19th
https://www.facebook.com/charmdesigner
