Symphorce - Become Death

[Liu]

Symphorce - Become Death
Metal Blade

The German power metallers Symphorce have really come into their own in these past few years. Beginning as an side band for Brainstorm's vocalist Andy B. Franck, Symphorce has evolved into one of the better heavy power metal acts out there, owing more to the American power bands like Iced Earth and Nevermore rather than the European Hammerfall's and Blind Guardian's. With Become Death, the band continues with their path of evolution, turning to a much darker road than traveled before.

Darkness Fills The Sky starts out the album with a right hook to the chin. Symphorce quickly establishes their progression with this song, with a near-gutteral vocal delivery from Franck and chunky riffs that would be right at home on any gothenburg death metal album. Despite differing greatly from the band's previous releases, they still manage to write a fairly catchy chorus which has always been Symphorce's modus operandi. Condemned begins with an electronic loop that is featured throughout the song (more new territory for the band). The song has a powerful chorus which is slightly marred by the fact that the lyrics are directly lifted from the song Everlasting Life from the last album.

Symphorce goes back to familiar territory with In The Hopes Of A Dream and Inside The Cast, with well paced melodic guitars that accompany Franck's powerful voice that'll appeal to the band's traditional audience, but their placement among the heavier songs makes the album a bit uneven. Death Has Come and Ancient Prophecies swing the album back into the darker sound, comparisons to Nevermore will be inevitable. The band tries their hand at doom with No Final Words To Say, almost sounding like Type O Negative.

Symphorce is almost at a crossroads right now. With this album they have tried their hand at several different sounds and have succeeded all around. Perhaps not their best album overall, but it does continue to cement their place as one of Europe's heavy power metal forerunners.


01. Darkness Fills The Sky
02. Condemned
03. In The Hopes Of A Dream
04. Death Has Come
05. Inside The Cast
06. No Final Words To Say
07. Towards The Light
08. Ancient Prophecies
09. Lost But Found
10. Lies

Score: 7/10