© The End Records 2001
SCHOLOMANCE
The Immortality Murder
Towards the end of 2001, I was eagerly awaiting the release of SCHOLOMANCE's sophomore disc which was kind of bizarre since I never really got into their debut. Upon hearing A Treatise on Love, it was obvious to me that the band members were good musicians, but I did not think they were great song writers. The interplay between guitar and keyboard was interesting and catchy at times, but most of the songs failed to retain my interest for too long. The vocals also tended to annoy me at times. Fast forward to December 2001, and all of these shortcomings have been annihilated on The Immortality Murder. Quite simply, this is one of the best Progressive (not Technical) Death Metal discs ever released. The band has dramatically improved on almost all fronts, and the result is my #4 disc of 2001.The song structures on The Immortality Murder reveal the very essence of what the "progressive" tag should mean in metal. Every tune on the disc contains constantly changing superb riffing and killer guitar leads, interesting keyboards displaying many different styles and moods, some strong bass playing, and intricate drumming patterns with no shortage of great fills. The tone of Scott Crinklaw's guitar playing is relatively unique to my ears. It seems to be slightly higher pitched than I usually hear in metal, and it exudes a somewhat ethereal quality in many songs. Don't get me wrong though, crunch abounds on The Immortality Murder. Many of Mr. Crinklaw's guitar solos consistently catch my attention as well which usually does not happen on most discs for me. (I think good soloing is somewhat of a lost art these days.)
The keyboard playing by Crinklaw and Jimmy Pitts is just as responsible for the quality of this disc as the guitar. Keys play an integral part in every song, and they are used extremely well. Never cheesy, they are used not only to set the mood for a song, but to double the complexity of the musical architecture by interacting with the guitar and rhythm section with seemless grace. The drums are programmed, so that might be a drawback for some listeners. Not for me. I love all of the complex rhythmic patterns on this disc. The bass playing shines in some songs, recalling a slightly less complex SPIRAL ARCHITECT. The bass lines of Jerry Twyford are interesting when I hear them, but bass is not as prominent in the mix as the rest of the instruments.
I have to mention that I often think of DREAM THEATER's classic debut When Dream and Day Unite (#5 on my list of all-time favorites) when I am listening to The Immortality Murder. Obviously, SCHOLOMANCE's music is a bit more complex and much harsher than DREAM THEATER, but these two discs elicit similar feelings in me. I love being able to hear every instrument played very well, being interesting in its own right as well as a part of the greater whole.
I should also mention that I find the lyrics on The Immortality Murder to be pretty interesting as well. They are relatively well thought out, although I can't say as I completely understand them. I am a scientist, not a philosopher. I never could get a straight A in any of my humanities classes. Sorry.
For those of you that cannot take Death Metal vocals, SCHOLOMANCE was kind enough to provide a second disc consisting of instrumental versions of most of the songs. I don't particularly like this second disc because I think the vocals provide a needed human element to the music. Although I will admit that Mr. Pitts' vocals are an acquired taste. I also don't care for the improvised piano segments on the instrumental disc. They seem rather pointless compared to the actual songs.
Fans of Progressive Death Metal such as SYMBYOSIS, EPHEL DUATH, and PSYPHERIA circa Gothic Disturbance really must have this disc. I like the music of those three bands quite a bit. I like the music of SCHOLOMANCE even better. Check them out.
Contributed by John Frank
