{"id":12242,"date":"2016-10-22T16:12:56","date_gmt":"2016-10-22T14:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/powerofmetal.dk\/?p=12242"},"modified":"2016-10-22T16:14:31","modified_gmt":"2016-10-22T14:14:31","slug":"destrage-a-means-to-no-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsite.powerofmetal.dk\/reviews\/destrage-a-means-to-no-end","title":{"rendered":"Destrage – A Means To No End"},"content":{"rendered":"

Destrage<\/strong> for me are one of those few bands where you can say they\u2019re doing their own thing.\u00a0 Sure, there\u2019s some people that will point to certain aspects of the group\u2019s sound and compare certain nuances or flavours to other artists, but as a whole, that\u2019s where the comparisons stop.\u00a0 Fusing progressive and challenging song structures with good doses of hardcore and metal is just a general way to describe their sound, but when you delve into the band further and explore, that\u2019s where it opens up to much more.\u00a0 This was my discovery of the band when first hearing them with their third album \u201cAre You Kidding Me?\u00a0 No.<\/strong>\u201d in 2014.\u00a0 And although they have stayed somewhat low on the radar, they\u2019ve obtained many dedicated fans in the process.\u00a0 So with expectations high, the band have released their newest album \u201cA Means To No End<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Having listened to the album quite a bit, I notice a growth from the band.\u00a0 And no, not something that indicates a downshift in their ability or a more commercial sensibility, but a real insistence on better song structure and being aware of where the song is not only going, but how to maintain the overall theme.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t to say that this point was lost on their previous work, but they\u2019ve somehow found a way to tighten up and focus more.<\/p>\n

The short album opener and title track with its acoustic guitar giving almost a slight middle-eastern flair shows we\u2019re off to a slow and interesting start.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t Stare At The Edge<\/strong>\u201d brings forth a sort of a metalcore approach with the guitar delivery, but it\u2019s played with passion and dexterity.\u00a0 The bombastic drum talent of Federico Paulovich<\/strong> works well with making each guitar note struck feel more pummeling than the last.\u00a0 I feel like this song and the title track are just warming up the listener with a more straight-forward approach that fans aren\u2019t used to with the band.\u00a0 \u201cSymphony Of The Ego<\/strong>\u201d features multi-layered guitars starting out the proceedings while the syncopated madness continues in a more challenging delivery.\u00a0 A more laid-back change in direction slows down the song at the end with some nice guitar\/vocal melodies.\u00a0 This song is helping to ramp up the album pace, which is making my excitement grow.\u00a0 \u201cSilent Consent<\/strong>\u201d reminds me of the band I remember from the previous album with lots of demented shifts and time changes with an adrenaline-soaked rhythm section pounding out the instruments.\u00a0 Drum theatrics and complicated riffs with \u201cThe Flight\u201d <\/strong>and the up-tempo gem that is \u201cDreamers<\/strong>\u201d keeps the energy in high gear for the most part, with a mid-paced groove and demented guitars keeping the interest at a peak.\u00a0 \u201cEnding To A Means\u201d<\/strong> is highlighted by haunting and laid-back guitar slides which create a relaxed ambiance.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great song to put at the mid-point of the album to give us all a little breather before getting back down to business.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeacefully Lost<\/strong>\u201d is as vocally dynamic as I\u2019ve heard on this album, showing great range from Paolo Colavolpe<\/strong>, which lends beautifully to the amazing progressive tendencies that this band has become known for.\u00a0 The song shows off rich melodies with all the technical proficiency I was hoping for, weaving both styles seamlessly.\u00a0 A standout track for sure.\u00a0 \u201cNot Everything Is Said<\/strong>\u201d is short, sweet, and to the point with it\u2019s memorable choruses and woven guitars, while \u201cTo Be Tolerated<\/strong>\u201d with its frenzied riffing and emotional vocals keep the pace going.\u00a0 \u201cBlah Blah<\/strong>\u201d should appeal to the djent crowd with the punchy and brief notes and noodly background guitar.\u00a0 Even with that overtone, it still fits with the rest of the album\u2019s demeanor.\u00a0 \u201cA Promise, A Debt<\/strong>\u201d is relaxed with multi-layered vocals in it\u2019s short time frame, which leads us into the album closer \u201cAbandon To Random<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0 The song is very controlled and shows off disciplined song structure with the technical aspects all in place, but this track sums up the maturity and growth that the band has developed since \u201cAre You Kidding Me?\u00a0 No.<\/strong>\u201d, rounding out all the great aspects from their current album all into one song.<\/p>\n

I was initially worried that the first few songs were going to represent the whole album\u2019s sound, but it served as perfect song placement by the band in arranging the final tracklist.\u00a0 Those songs warmed me up and got me more eager to hear where the album was going.\u00a0 The great thing about this band is that unlike some experimental metal bands which sound jumbled at times with their sound and use a cut and paste mentality when assembling a song, Destrage <\/strong>has main building blocks to a composition which allow them to go wild while giving them the ability to return to the main point of the song.<\/p>\n

Everybody tries to say \u201cthey sound like this band\u201d or try to pinpoint their sound from what I\u2019ve read in response to their career thus far, but to be honest, you can\u2019t nail down an exact band that they sound exactly like, which is rare these days.\u00a0 There are influences I hear, like The Dillinger Escape Plan<\/strong>, Sikth<\/strong> and Protest The Hero<\/strong>, but that\u2019s just little fleeting bits and pieces and by no means are they lifting riffs and patterns from them, this is just a matter of comparison. \u00a0But they are original to my ears, and that\u2019s hard for me to admit about a lot of metal bands these days.\u00a0 And with \u201cA Means To No End<\/strong>\u201d, their evolution gives them even more reason to be called original.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tracklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n

01. A Means To No End
\n02. Don’t Stare At The Edge
\n03. Symphony Of The Ego
\n04. Silent Consent
\n05. The Flight
\n06. Dreamers
\n07. Ending To A Means
\n08. Peacefully Lost
\n09. Not Everything Is Said
\n10. To Be Tolerated
\n11. Blah Blah
\n12. A Promise, A Debt
\n13. Abandon To Random<\/p>\n

Playing time:<\/strong> 55:50<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong> 21 October, 2016<\/p>\n

Label:<\/strong> Metal Blade Records<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> Destrage Official Website<\/a><\/p>\n