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Structural Disorder: And The Cage ...

Progressive Metal

3.0/5.0

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Lion Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 28.02.2018

Almost to the month, Sweden's Structural Disorder has released a new album every two years. They return with their third album with a very clever title: ... And The Cage Crumbles In The Final Scene. And the provocative title may be the best thing about this album.

Spartan Warrior

Honestly, I didn't much like this album, finding it a difficult listen over all. It's heavy, thrashy, and thumping in large parts with generous thick riffs and a deep bottom end. There's also a lot of staccato drumming, especially within Nine Lies and Mirage. Then there's the vocals. I'm not sure who the lead vocalist is; four players are given credit for vocals. But the vocals seem all over place: clean and melodic to monotone moaning to screamo to death vocals. The latter are particularly harsh within Mirage, The Fool Who Would Be King, and Drowning.

But here's the thing: those last two songs are examples of where Structural Disorder can be interesting, but in parts. Within the former there's carnival like electric accordion. In Drowning, there's a nice acoustic guitar and bass breakdown after the midpoint, and more accordion at the end. I never thought I would find or like accordion in progressive metal, but I did. Weird Al Yankovic would be so proud.

In the end, the best, most accessible, and pleasing song here is the instrumental Kerosene which, driven by a fine piano melody, casts aside the problems of the thrashy heaviness and disappointing vocals. Basically, I found Structural Disorder's ... And The Cage Crumbles In The Final Scene to be, in parts, curious and interesting, but as a whole, mostly disappointing. You may feel differently.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

I found Structural Disorder's ... And The Cage Crumbles In The Final Scene to be, in parts, curious and interesting, but as a whole, mostly disappointing and a difficult listen. You may feel differently.

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Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]