Meshing elements from other bands seem to be the way to go these days. Since most of what can be done has been done, To An End’s latest offering Redefine is a ballsy aptly named release that attempts to redefine what ‘melodic Australian metal’ is all about.
The album opens with the savagely tragic track Intro, which gets listeners ready for an onslaught of early In Flames-esk tunes, but alas, it was not to be. The rest of the album is very different to this intro track. The guitar tone is an interesting choice, it treads the line between pub rock and death metal, but I can groove to it so I’m happy. But this is how it is for the rest of the album. There are some terrifically awesome elements; the choruses are fantastic; the melodies are very accomplished and; the interludes are well written.
I especially like the choice of drum-work and the solos. But it’s kind of like a jigsaw that has pieces from a few different puzzles. Sometimes it fits together well, and other times it can be confusing. Out of My Hands – which is a killer track with fantastic elements – is the album’s best example of mixing the different genres in a cohesive way.
It is like a bunch of friends got together to start a band, one said they liked deathcore, another said they like Nirvana and another likes 30 Seconds to Mars, but they thought they’d have a go anyway. If you’re the sort of listener that likes anything and everything, you’ll love it, but if the choruses don’t catch you, you might find it difficult to commit.
The production is very good, especially on the guitars and vocals. Sometimes the kick drum seems like it needs more control, but that’s a small gripe.
Suitable for people who want their cake (old In Flames) and eat it too (Stone Sour).
Release Year: 2018
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Liam Frost-Camilleri
