Search - Duskfall :: Source

Great melodic thrash

C. Pedersen | Lake Mary, FL United States | 01/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"File under In Flames (Whoracle, Colony-era). They pull off the sound perfectly with memorable songs. You can find this cheaper on other sites. I did."

The Duskfall strike back

TheDarkPrince | Scotland | 06/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After their phenomenal debut album, The Duskfall return with their 2002 follow-up "Source." While not quite matching the headbangers wet-dream that was "Frailty," "Source" is still very worthy of The Duskfall's name.



While "Frailty" had an At The Gates styled, thrashy approach to melodic death metal, focusing on speed and melodic intensity, "Source" takes the pace down a notch and opts for a more anthemic, groove-oriented approach. Melody is less predominant this time, but still present and instantly recognisable. The riffs - possibly due to the monolithic guitar sound - still have their immediately infectious, moshable quality, but this time they are slower and even sound slightly hardcore influenced. In places the guitar work can feel a little leaden, but it never lasts long, and the solos, while short are still strong. The drumming, as before, does exactly what it should and little more; plenty of blastbeats = satisfaction. Kai Jaakola, as ever, is on top form, belting out huge Gothenburgian roars which work perfectly against the equally powerful music. Production is also top notch.



By far the greatest appeal in "Source" however originates in its huge, soaring, anthemic chorus hooks. These are sublimely well crafted and obviously took a long time to write. Songs like "Striving To Have Nothing" and "Not A Good Sign," when they come to their choruses, will take you up on an instant adrenaline high and leave you begging for more when they finish.



One more thing to look out for is the son "Destroyer." In this track, The Duskfall have opted to go for a slightly different approach; in other words, they remove all their melodic leanings and go for a two-and-a-half minute death metal inferno. While being considerably less accesible than the rest of the album, "The Destroyer"'s appeal lies in the fact it doesn't mess arround; it's short, sharp, and makes use of every second it has, perfect for a quick fix of adrenaline.



So, no more beating about the bush; if you enjoy the Gothenburg sound at all, or if you enjoyed "Frailty," then this album gets my highest reccomendation. If not, well then, that's your loss."