Reviews

Originally recorded and self-released in 2005, Dying Vine has been picked up for national distribution and re-released. The first song, "Paragon," doesn't stand out much at all; just another run-of-the-mill metal song with a slowed-down tempo and that's about it. For one thing, drummer Joe Walmer has a lot more to prove; I don't know what it is but he seems rather sloppy and unable to play fast. Subsequently, this has an overall negative effect on the record that makes it quite unlistenable.

The fact that every song tends to sound the same doesn't help matters; nothing really stands out about this band or this record. The vocals are just like any other metal band out right now and the drumming is absolutely atrocious.

However, this record does have one thing going for it - the guitar work of Alex Kenis and Donny Swigart. This work shows itself all throughout the album and almost saves it from being a total washout. It isn't until almost halfway through the album - on the track "Open Grave" - that the band even sounds remotely interesting, but that doesn't even last for very long.

This record is another long, boring album by a boring metal band that can't come up with anything fresh and original, which is a damn shame. It's only really recommended if you like your metal unintelligible and noisy without any real sense of melody. With an instrumental and a cover song - "How Could I" by Cynic - closing out the record, you can tell the band was starting to run out of ideas. It is on the cover of "How Could I" that the whole band sounds decent with some clean vocals coming into the mix. But if this band wants to have an actual career, they're going to have to try something different.