What we got here is a three-song promotional release from this Greek band. Every song is taken from the band's forthcoming debut full length album 'Seven Deadly Blessings'.

First thing I got when listening to this was that Alter Self really do not remind me of any other band straight away. For that reason, I'm having quite tough time to write something about this, but of course I'll do it. Secondly, at first Alter Self's songs felt like they were no real compositions, just some kind of tangle.

Alter Self do mix thrash and death metal, that's the fact. 'My Sober Reflection' is a double kick drums driven, heavy piece of death-tinged thrash metal. It just sound Central European. Do not ask why, but that's how I see it! The song is far from being irrational, but consists of enough parts in a logical way. Its main riff is nice, but otherwise it's too mediocre riffs-wise. It's not that catchy a song, to tell the truth. 'Fovea' starts nicely with a working riff and rhythm work. But the feared thing happens again: boring riffage raises its ugly head. Great solo part helps, where both guitar and bass go off their own ways. Basically, the song is much more messy. However, one of the riffs remind me of Destruction. Nailed one, he he! The last piece 'Separation from God' is the most melodic one, but its harder parts follow the previous songs' style. Again, the song feels a bit disordered. Basically, the music sounds like it was coming from mid-90s, so nothing too modern bull is heard here.

Lead guitar work shines through bland riffing. The rhythm guitar sounds lame, like without any rip. It makes already blunt riffs sound more so. Points go for the rhythm section. Drumming is pounding, and not boringly technical. Bass playing is both powerful and also adventurous, reminding me of Anthrax's Frank Bello's nimble-fingered runs through the neck of his instrument. The main vocals are angrily growled, and quite varied within that style. There are some lines of clean vocals, which are absolutely horrible and weak, similar to ones on the debut album of Greek gloomsters On Thorns I Lay (1995's 'Sounds of Beautiful Experience'). The sound is muffled and bass-heavy. The rhythm guitar is, as mentioned, far from striking.

Performance-wise, the band do not lack of energy, and they do possess that certain drive. These feats aren't enough to save partly very boring songs. If these three songs are the cream of the crop from the forthcoming album, I doubt that the rest of its material will move me much.

Reviewed by Lane
08/01/2012 20:24