Title: Grey Shades
Artist: NoXiuS Corp.
Genre: Gothic Metal / Death Metal
Release Date: August 2009
Label: Self-released
Album Review
NOXIUS CORP. was founded in Barcelona, Spain as a result of collaboration of several enthusiasts inspired by music of such bands as OPETH, KATATONIA or DARK TRANQUILLITY. Two years after the release of the demo album entitled ‘The Dying Earth’, the formation underwent some changes in the line-up and now it is back with EP ‘Grey Shades’ which is intended to reflect the evolution of the quartet.
Already the first self-titled track combines unruly drumming and rich guitars, vigorous and melodic at the same time with brutal male and clean female vocals that bears somewhat ethnic sign. On the whole these things add a peculiarity to the songs and intensify their expressiveness in which power and aggression are mixed with smoothness and calm. The tuneful beginning of the next song immediately creates a negligible lyrical atmosphere which is later destroyed by heavy riffs and strong beats while the voice appears out of the epicentre of the melody and towers over that explosive mixture of sounds.
Actually the album contains the material diverse enough to arouse a range of different feelings and images and the track ‘I Hate the World’ definitely proves it. The song is like an anthem of freedom which calls to changes and its stable, a bit rocking rhythm allows to feel better the idea of the composition and to understand the lyrics. The slightly ambient ending of the track although displays an echo of doom. The remix of ‘Gray Shades’ gives an opportunity to assess the song in another light so the track can be also quite danceable and cheerful. The last piece, ‘Entre las Sombras’, presents one more version of ‘Grey Shades’, this time in Italian so the language opens new facets of the composition and gives it some more depth.
In general the album contains rather good and interesting material which is maybe not too original but still pleasant to listen to.
Tracklist
01. Grey Shades – 4:32
02. Screaming Silently – 5:53
03. I Hate the World – 5:44
04. Gray Shades (EBM REMIX) – 3:55
05. Entre las Sombras – 4:28
Line-up
Laura Espejo – Vocals
LordDan – Bass, Vocals, Programming
Monfu – Guitars
Luka Kai – Drums
Website
http://www.myspace.com/noxiusmetal
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8 / 10
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