Review: Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

Amongst all of the prog that has been taking over 2011 (and will continue to do so), it's nice to have albums that remind you that prog is not the only thing out there.  England's thrash/metalcore foursome of Sylosis is here to remind you of just that.  With their second full length album, Edge Of The Earth, they not only deliver an album that needs to be taken note of but also establish themselves as a band that will need to be reckoned with.

Read the review after the break.


A blending of familiar elements in a unique way is what sums up the appeal of this album.  Let's first take the fact that this album has tons of anthemic riffs that will stay in your head for days.  After hearing tracks like Sands of Time, Empyreal, and A Serpents Tongue, you'll already be wanting to give this record another listen.  The riffing from these tracks, and the album as a whole, are truly exceptional.  They won't blow your mind but they do feel right and will make you headbang without fail. 

In the vocals department, Josh Middleton delivers a rather impressive performance.  His performance on this album is really the glue that holds everything together.  Amidst the familiar and sometimes predictable song patterns, the vocals stay fresh.  It is the ultimate factor that makes you realize that Sylosis' sound has indeed become their own.  The vocals never fail to stay interesting and, in addition, add another dimension of aggressiveness to the album.

The final piece of the puzzle that makes this album complete is the integration of the fast paced aggressiveness unique to thrash.  While there are tracks that are thrasterpieces, Kingdom of Solitude, there are also plenty of tracks that are not deliberately thrash based but still keep that unique tempo and heaviness.  This integration of thrash is also what gives the album groove and a sense of direction.  Think of it as the underpinning that is driving the whole album. 

The beauty of this album is that it reminds you why you love metal.  Sylosis is by no means reinventing the wheel with this album, but they do prove that they can take familiar song stuctures and make them their own and still make them ineresting.  They stick to a formula and nail it.  Take catchy metalcoresque riffing and breakdowns, mix that with the fast paced tempo and aggression of thrash, mix that with some intense yet catchy vocals, throw in some wicked soloing and your result is Edge Of The Earth.  Be sure to check this one out.  It's another album that's already trying to snag a spot on my year end list.

-Mick