CoC : Through the Eyes of the Dead

Through the Eyes of the Dead - _Bloodlust_
(Prosthetic Records, 2005)
by: T. DePalma (3.5 out of 10)

Twin guitars race through predictable riffs of faux-neo-classicism, recycled intervals that fuse into open e-chord chugging. The dude up front yells "Go" and they chug some more. But it's all for nothing if you haven't got some authentically burly rage behind it, right? And so Through the Eyes of the Dead tries to bring lines like "If I could display you in a burning field impaled on your mother's arms I would... I hope you choke on blood" to life. To turn a negative into a positive, if you will. There's so much you can do with three notes and some decent gain. It's a formula repeated often on _Bloodlust_: an instructional album for payback pit dancing. Through the Eyes of the Dead didn't start this trend, but they're content to ride it out in spades on their debut album. I'm still uncertain which is more shameful.

A large portion of this album emerges as melodic castaways from Soilwork, Arsis and Malevolent Creation. Well produced, well played, but crafted like a set of warm up scales and confectionary riffs that haven't the faintest mist of an atmosphere or connection between them. It's pure concert fodder where, despite themselves, every song retreats to an ungodly ploy of staccato breakdowns behind generic drum blasts and even more pallid vocals, aping the worst of the post-At the Gates styled nu-metal Americana. For all their vengeful posturing on record, Through the Eyes of the Dead are just too goddamn coy to last beyond a moment's listen.

Contact: http://www.myspace.com/tteotd/

(article published 17/10/2005)

ALBUMS
12/2/2007	J Ulrey	8.5	Through the Eyes of the Dead - Malice