UMUR "Echoes of the Tortured" is the debut full-length studio album by multi-national death metal act Sinsaenum. The album was released through earMUSIC in July 2016. The early idea for the band was born in 1998 by guitarist/bassist/keyboard player Frédéric Leclercq (DragonForce, Menace), who wanted to start a death metal project. It wasn´t until 2010 that Sinsaenum was finally formed though, when Leclercq enlisted guitarist Stéphane Buriez (Loudblast) and drummer Joey Jordison (Slipknot, Vimic, Scar the Martyr, Muderdolls). The lineup was completed by bassist Heimoth (Decrepit Spectre, Seth, Void), and the two vocalists Sean Zatorsky (Dååth, Chimaira) and Attila Csihar (Gravetemple, Mayhem, Tormentor, Aborym).

Stylistically the music on "Echoes of the Tortured" is technically well played death metal, which is influenced by the early 90s US/Canadian death metal scene and artists like Gorguts, Brutality, and especially Morbid Angel. It´s relatively brutal but still sophisticated and cleverly composed death metal. Leclercq is obviously a skilled composer who understands the instruments and the boundaries of the genre (which means he doesn´t add anything to offend the most conservative listeners) but still manages to push those boundaries a little. Some of the lead guitar work on the album is for example nicely melodic and definitely influenced by his power metal day job. Not that´d you´d necessarily notice that upon initial listens, but giving the album more spins you´ll probably notice quite a few sophisticated details you won´t normally hear on a death metal release.

The material on the 21 track (there are quite a few shorter interlude tracks featured on the album), 65:36 minutes long album is well written and memorable. While it´s relatively catchy considering regular death metal standards, it´s not necessarily easily accessible music. One of the great assets of the album is the high level musicianship. While the vocals are fairly standard, albeit well performed, intelligible growling (with some raw shouting vocals and higher pitched screaming vocals occasionally added for effect), the drumming by Joey Jordison is high class, and the guitar work is also skillfully executed (The lead work is fast, melodic, and delivered with great technical finesse). It´s audible that these guys are seasoned professionals and everything is delivered with militant precision, but thankfully not in a sterile lifeless way. It´s intense, vibrant, and relatively raw and organic although the sound production is clear and detailed.

It´s not often you listen to a death metal album that´s 65:36 minutes long and not once during the playing time experience that your attention wanders, but "Echoes of the Tortured" is one such release. The many interludes work as little breathers between the regular death metal tracks, and while they do on occassion feel a little random and not necessarily placed with the best traclist flow in mind, I do think they fit very well on the album, and makes the listening experience a more diverse and interesting one. Upon conclusion "Echoes of the Tortured" is a high quality release by Sinsaenum and definitely a promising debut album. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

Nightfly After some health issues and being kicked out of Slipknot, a lucky break in my opinion as nu metal and I never hit it off, drummer Joey Jordison is now back as part of a death metal supergroup of sorts. His main and surprising partner in crime is Dragonforce bassist/guitarist Frederic Leclercq. The line-up is completed by two vocalists – Attila Csihar of Sunn 0))) and Mayhem and Sean Zatorsky from DAATH, Heimoth, bassist from black metaller’s Seth and Stephane Buriez from thrash/death band Loudblast.

I must admit to being somewhat sceptical initially as to whether they could pull off a convincing death metal album even though there is some death metal pedigree in the line-up but with Leclercq being more used to writing melodic power metal I had doubts. A recent 4 track E.P. given away free with Metal Hammer magazine sounded promising featuring some well-played if unadventurous death. Their review talked of old school death in the vein of early Morbid Angel which I wasn’t really hearing from the E.P. However, taking a chance I bought the album and things really came to life. Yes, I could now hear some Morbid Angel in there at times though lacking the organic sound of those early albums as the production here is good but could do with a bit more grit at times being somewhat clinical. That said it has plenty of power.

21 tracks in total which sounds a lot but many are link/mood pieces and there’s pretty much one before each main song. They work well and after the haunting Materialization the album kicks in proper with the bludgeoning Splendor And Agony. It’s an awesome statement of intent and any doubt that these guys could cut it in a death metal setting are instantly dispelled. Jordison is particularly impressive and very convincing and inventive, not just here but throughout. It’s over in a flash and while a few songs are over the 5 minute mark most are around 4. My on the fence response to the songs on the free MH E.P. is dispelled and the mid paced Army Of Chaos seems to have new life breathed into it in an album setting. There’s a good variety of tempo, often in the same song which is preferable to relentless blastbeats like on Dead Souls ranging from a slow grind to blastbeats. The vocals of Zatorsky and Csihar work well together. Zatorsky’s growl seemingly taking precedence over Csihar’s more raspy delivery. Perhaps down to his Heinoth’s influence there is the ocassional black metal influence thrown in too. One of the best songs is Final Curse which has a strong Morbid Angel influence with its jumpy discordant riffing. Impressive guitar soloing too which often inject some melody into the songs – no doubt Leclercq can’t totally let go of his power metal day job.

Overall this is an excellent and captivating piece of death metal with plenty of variety and mood injected by the shorter pieces. There’s not anything particularly original here and it’s an easy listen by death metal standards but such is the standard of playing and song writing that it’s hard not to be won over. I dare say they’ll be those who may not want to give this a chance but they’ll be missing out on a hell of a good album.