SCARVE

The Undercurrent

Listenable
rating icon 8 / 10

Track listing:

01. Endangered
02. Imperceptible Armageddon
03. Senseless
04. The Plundered
05. Assuming Self
06. Fathomless Descent
07. A Few Scraps Of Memories
08. Rebirth


This is not what I expected from France's SCARVE, that being a change of direction back to more of a seemingly STRAPPING YOUNG LAD-inspired style that has more in common with 2002's "Luminiferous", which in no way means regression. The new album just happens to contrast with the comparatively stripped down sound heard on 2004's "Irradiant".

"The Undercurrent" is a dark, dense, and nerve-fraying album that recalls some of SYL's more disorienting fare and ends up a treacherous voyage into the eye of the extreme music storm. You'll have many opportunities to peel away layers on "The Undercurrent", helping to give the album some lasting appeal. Vocalist Lawrence Mackrory (ex-DARKANE) stepped in to take over the spot left by Guillaume Bideau (now of MNEMIC) and allows for a seamless continuation of the band's exceptional use of two vocalists, utilizing two distinct (clean and gruff) styles.

The SYL-isms are many here, particularly on "Imperceptible Armageddon", "Fathomless Descent", "Senseless", and "Rebirth", but bits and pieces are heard throughout. At the same time, SYL clones SCARVE are not. On the more accessible end of the spectrum, "Rebirth" features a chorus melody that reeks of Devin Townsend, the chunkiness of it an attribute heard on several tracks. The little changeups, such as the whispered vocals on "Fathomless Descent", or the spoken vocals on the verse of the creepy "A Few Scraps of Memories" (which moves from uneasy quietude to disruptive harshness),enhance the experience. "The Plundered" mixes in many of the best elements the band has to offer, incorporating sounds/feelings that run the gamut from seething anger to unsettling tunefulness to meaty rhythms and all points in between, not to mention a fiery guitar solo. Daniel Bergstrand's always tight and dynamic production gives those jolting SYL tremors and MESHUGGAH-esque flavors that much more oomph! And yeah, bandleader Dirk Verbeuren is one of the world's greatest drummers, his mind-boggling combination of speed, precision, and dexterity key elements in turning heaviness into frightening levels of aggression and technicality.

"The Undercurrent" does not allow for easy consumption upon the first couple of spins, which fortunately means that, given time, the album becomes an adventurous and mostly satisfying experience. The one certainty is that Dirk and the boys have created some challenging, futuristic semi-thrash/semi-death metal over the years and "The Undercurrent" is no exception. The journey through the album may not be a smooth one (you better be in the mood for it too),but it sure is one that is difficult to forget.

Author:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).