Soilwork - Stabbing The Drama

*=Staff's pick	Stabbing The Drama* One With The Flies Weapon Of Vanity The Crestfallen Nerve Stalemate* Distance* Observation Slave* Fate In Motion Blind Eye Halo If Possible*

Genre	Death/Thrash Metal	Björn Strid	Vocals
Tracks	11	Peter Wichers	Guitar
Runningtime	43 Min.	Ola Frenning	Guitar
Label	Nuclear Blast	Ola Flink	Bass
Release	28 Feb. 2005	-	Drums
Country	USA	Sven Karlsson	Keyboards
Similar artists	The Haunted, In Flames

Soilwork has worked in the shadow of Swedish melodic thrash/death bands such as The Haunted, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. With their last three albums, A Predator's Portrait, Natural Born Chaos and Figure Number Five, they've got a small breakthrough, but with Stabbing The Drama they have a great opportunity to step out on the even bigger stage. This is a genuine, high-class product where no song really brings the grade down. Stabbing The Drama is furious and brutal - but at the same time very melodic and even catchy. One hundred percent of commercial attitude…

Musically this record has everything you possible can ask for in a great metal album: heavy guitar riffs, pounding, extremely well produced drum-sound and brutal, screaming/growling vocals. The songs follow the same pattern, but at the same time each of them is individually strong. I am weak for the kind of mix between melodic song and growl as we get in the choruses of for example Distance and Observation Slave. It can be a disaster (as in most nu-metal) but when it works it works brilliant. Some choruses can be almost too catchy after a couple times, as for example Nerve. Therefore, fast, heavy and angry Stalemate comes as a relief.

Well, what can be said on the negative side? A quite boring cover art that does not invite you to buy on chance, if you're not familiar with the music before. (And of course the more than annoying record company voice-over on the promo, who tells you which song you are listening to.) But what the hell… Buy and enjoy!