Press - Reviews
02nd October 2008
Zoom Code review, Ancient Ceremonies
ThanatoSchizO
Zoom Code
CD, My Kingdom Music, 2008
Located in the northernmost Portugal, Thanatoschizo have, at the same time, reasons to be disappointed and pleased: a) they live where “the (metal) sun doesn’t (won’t) shine” Portuguese region; b) they have some of the most loyal/ respectful fans I’ve ever known. It’s hard to understand how they manage to maintain and gather more (and more) fans... it smells like magic. Anyway, “Zoom Code” is their fourth studio album and it sort of marks an end of an era: the deathish/doomy one. Yeap, death anddoom are out for these northerners (you can still hear Eduardo’s harsh vocals, but that’s basically it...). The grasp death metal-like tuned guitars are missing on this one (some slight “chuggy, chuggy” riffs), allowing melody and a whole lotta rock to come in, transcending every prejudice barrier, concerning on the minds of fine composers with a pleasant sense of taste; there are no long songs as well. Fast rocking songs, ethnical atmosphere, symbolical lyricism, hooky voices (Patrícia’s voice has suffered a major improvement, by the way) and catchy song structures are nice adjectives for what characterizes the whole album. Another fine thing is the way the band composed and chose the tracks order: they just fit in your ear like muesli cereals in the mourning. There’s no way an individual may understand the album’s message if that very person skips sometracks... in other words, try listening to Meshuggah’s “Catch 33” and you’ll followmy words. ‘Thick ‘n’ Blurry’ hits thegas with some “oriental music” (let’s callit that way) riffs and guitar bridges that I had already heard previously, but thealready mentioned catchy voices stick into your head instantly: simple, effective and as gorgeous as Naomi Watts’ face. Continuing through the rest of the album, I found pure magic, either in the surprising concertina on ‘Hereafter Path’ (I must confess it took me some listening in a row to comprehend the instrument’s reason of being there), the melodies of ‘L.’ or ‘(Un)bearable Certainty’, complex instrumental on ‘Pervasive Healing’, or ‘Awareness’s experimentalism (with a sax, as well). But, just like life, there are flaws. The production, which is the only major flaw, kind of pays no justice to the vocals, especially Eduardo’s. Despite the fact that it broke up with extreme metal genres (some people will miss those long prog/death songs from “InsomniousNightLift”), “Zoom Code” is a great album by a great band in need of acknowledgment. [9/10]
Simão Fonseca
ThanatoSchizO
Zoom Code
CD, My Kingdom Music, 2008
Located in the northernmost Portugal, Thanatoschizo have, at the same time, reasons to be disappointed and pleased: a) they live where “the (metal) sun doesn’t (won’t) shine” Portuguese region; b) they have some of the most loyal/ respectful fans I’ve ever known. It’s hard to understand how they manage to maintain and gather more (and more) fans... it smells like magic. Anyway, “Zoom Code” is their fourth studio album and it sort of marks an end of an era: the deathish/doomy one. Yeap, death anddoom are out for these northerners (you can still hear Eduardo’s harsh vocals, but that’s basically it...). The grasp death metal-like tuned guitars are missing on this one (some slight “chuggy, chuggy” riffs), allowing melody and a whole lotta rock to come in, transcending every prejudice barrier, concerning on the minds of fine composers with a pleasant sense of taste; there are no long songs as well. Fast rocking songs, ethnical atmosphere, symbolical lyricism, hooky voices (Patrícia’s voice has suffered a major improvement, by the way) and catchy song structures are nice adjectives for what characterizes the whole album. Another fine thing is the way the band composed and chose the tracks order: they just fit in your ear like muesli cereals in the mourning. There’s no way an individual may understand the album’s message if that very person skips sometracks... in other words, try listening to Meshuggah’s “Catch 33” and you’ll followmy words. ‘Thick ‘n’ Blurry’ hits thegas with some “oriental music” (let’s callit that way) riffs and guitar bridges that I had already heard previously, but thealready mentioned catchy voices stick into your head instantly: simple, effective and as gorgeous as Naomi Watts’ face. Continuing through the rest of the album, I found pure magic, either in the surprising concertina on ‘Hereafter Path’ (I must confess it took me some listening in a row to comprehend the instrument’s reason of being there), the melodies of ‘L.’ or ‘(Un)bearable Certainty’, complex instrumental on ‘Pervasive Healing’, or ‘Awareness’s experimentalism (with a sax, as well). But, just like life, there are flaws. The production, which is the only major flaw, kind of pays no justice to the vocals, especially Eduardo’s. Despite the fact that it broke up with extreme metal genres (some people will miss those long prog/death songs from “InsomniousNightLift”), “Zoom Code” is a great album by a great band in need of acknowledgment. [9/10]Simão Fonseca
