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| Holographic Universe | 
 enlarge | Artist: Scar Symmetry
Label: Nuclear Blast Americ
Category: Music
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $11.65
You Save: $4.33 (27%)
New (41) Used (6) from $11.65
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 5072
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 12095
UPC: 727361209520
EAN: 0727361209520
ASIN: B00190KZBO
Release Date: July 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW Factory Sealed - Ready to be shipped within 24 hrs from California - Average 5 workdays delivery time - Excellent customer service - Buy with confidence!
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| Tracks:
| • | Morphogenesis | | • | Timewave Zero | | • | Quantumleaper | | • | Artificial Sun Projection | | • | The Missing Coordinates | | • | Ghost Prototype I - Measurement of Thought | | • | Fear Catalyst | | • | Trapezoid | | • | Prism and Gate | | • | Holographic Universe | | • | The Three-Dimensional Shadow | | • | Ghost Prototype II - Deus Ex Machina |
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Album Description
Scar Symmetry is a Swedish melodic Death Metal band from Avesta. Holographic Universe is their third full-length studio album released in 2008. The band released the first song "Morphogenesis" for streaming on their MySpace page. Formed in April 2004, Scar Symmetry came together during the band Altered Aeon's recording session at Jonas Kjellgren's Black Lounge Studios.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
Once again, the Swedes prove they do it best... July 9, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
Well, Scar Symmetry has done it again. After being hooked on their two previous albums "Symmetric in Design" and "Pitch Black Progress" for the past few years, I didn't think Scar Symmetry would be able to create a third straight 5 star effort - but I was wrong. In all honesty, this was an album that took me a few listens to really get into, but once I did, there was no shaking the songs from my mind.
Any current Scar Symmetry fan already knows what to expect. Jonas Kjellgren and Per Nilsson return with their twin attack of heavy, catchy riffs as well as the technicality of their searing solos. Oh yes, that's right. It wouldn't be a traditional SS album if the songs weren't littered with solos...and I mean that in the best way possible! Also back are Henrik Ohlsson - brilliant lyricist and phenomenal drummer, Kenneth Seil - bassist, and of course, Christian Alvestam - the excellent vocalist. While I don't believe Jonas and Per bring a whole lot new to the table (as they're doing as great as always!), the other three are certainly pushing themselves to new levels with "Holographic Universe." Lyrics-wise, Henrik revolves all the songs around a combination of astrological/quantum physics and middle eastern philosophy. It sounds weird in theory, but it makes for some great lyrics. It's certainly an interesting topic, and for anyone who wishes to learn more, I highly recommend watching the "Holographic Universe trailer part II" on youtube or myspace for further explanation. Anywho, previous fans will also notice that the bass has more prominent parts in quite a few songs, which is always a plus for me.
But the true difference between "Symmetric in Design", "Pitch Black Progress" and "Holographic Universe" is the vocal styling of Christian. "SiD" had more growling vocals as opposed to clean singing, whereas "PBP" was a relatively even blend. With "Holographic Universe", however, the vocals have shifted to be mostly clean and almost operatic at times. I find that a little disappointing, but Christian has a hell of a voice and in the end, it's still fantastic.
As far as the songs themselves go, it's hard to pick a clear cut favorite or a single weak track. All have their strong points for sure. Specifically, I find that "Morphogenesis", "Prism and Gate", and "The Three-Dimensional Shadow" are the best, simply because I favor heavy, growling verses and catchy, clean choruses. There's nothing new about that, but listen to the song samples above and tell me that I'm wrong. Then there's the album epic, the title track "Holographic Universe" which is not only 9 minutes long, but also features some awesome finger-tap solos. Finally, the last track that really stands out is the closer, "Ghost Prototype II (Deus Ex Machina)". The beginning and ending of the song features the lightest singing Christian has done to date. It's the one track that took me the longest to get used to, but it's worth the time to let it grow on you. Of course, I love all the songs, but I've highlighted the ones that I feel are the freshest or coolest.
So in the end, what's left to say about "Holographic Universe"? Will it be the top metal album of 2008? To me, quite possibly, but there's still plenty of time left to make that call. In relation to the first two albums, where does it fall? Personally, I favor "SiD" and "PBP" over "Holographic Universe", but that shouldn't deter anyone from buying this album. It's new enough for old fans to not feel like they're getting repeats, yet it doesn't stray too far from what makes Scar Symmetry, well...Scar Symmetry. And for the newbies out there: if you enjoy this album, buy the first two without hesitation. They're just as phenomenal.
Here's to Scar Symmetry...rock on! \m/ ^_^ \m/
EDIT 9/11/08:
It was announced today that vocalist Christian has parted ways with Scar Symmetry. I am personally very disappointed, but in todays day and age, things like this are common occurrence. He will continue other musical endeavors, though.
Scar Symmetry is NOT broken up, however, and a replacement will be announced soon. Whoever steps in will have some mighty big shoes to fill. I once again heavily urge all newcomers to buy "Holographic Universe" as well as "Pitch Black Progress" and "Symmetric in Design" not only because they are phenomenal records, but also simply because you will own a piece of metal history. There are very few vocalists like Christian, and these will probably be the only records you can hear his magnificence on for some time.
EDIT 10/6/08:
Today Scar Symmetry announced the new vocalist for the band, and surprise...they got two vocalists! Roberth Karlsson (main growls, back up clean) and Lars Palmqvist (main clean, back up growls) will be taking up the place where Christian once was. There's an audition video on youtube I recommend fans watch with both newbies singing that is very encouraging! I first thought that no one could replace Christian, and any attempt at it would be worthless, but this is not the case! While I've already begun reading people say that having two people to fill in for Christian is pathetic it does have a benefit. A lot of the songs from "Holographic Universe" have vocal work that can't be done live, but now they can! Naysayers, please check out the video before passing judgment. I'm now eagerly awaiting both a world tour and a new album from these guys!
Seriously! This album is INCREDIBLE!!! July 15, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Holographic Universe is absolutely incredible. The longer of the spotlight reviews really hit it on the head. Good lord the title track is amazing.
Everything you've heard is absolutely true. There is clean singing, but there is still plenty of roaring, and for the life of me I don't think there are really any singers in This genre (gothenburg melodic death) that can presently touch him. Christian is totally on top of this. The guitars, drums, overall production is just so well done that, even though if it may take a second to really grasp everything that is going on, you HAVE to listen.
I can see where some of the people get bent out of shape over the lighter side of the singing, but quite honestly, it just fits.
This album is a natural progession over Pitch Black Progress. HUGE in scope, and incredibly complex. Some of the songs are a bit long, but yeah, I've been listenning to the title track on repeat on the way to work (it clocks at over 9 minutes) and I really just don't care, it's that good.
Opeth, another exceptional group, is one of the few other bands that can hold my attention sustained for that long (don't compare the two bands though, they are different in too many ways) despite some longer tracks.
One of the reasons this album works so well it is one of the first I have heard that I thought right off the bat, just about anyone can get into this. This band is on the verge of making the heavy and generally acceptable to the heavy fearing one and the same.
Holographic Universe KILLS.
Faves:
HOLOGRAPHIC UNIVERSE
Timewave Zero
Quantum Leaper
Ghost Prototype 1 (think modern power metal and you'll be fine)
Trapezoid
Prism and Gate
AMAZING! July 9, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
The new Scar Symmetry album is finally here...
This album is great from start to finish. It is everything you would want in a melodic death metal album. Catchy hooks and vocals. you'll have these chorus's stuck in your head for days. Brutal riffs over pounding tricky time signiture double bass drum playing. Great melodic Guitar melodies and leads with some of the best guitar solo's to come arround so far this year. Per Nilsson is simply a jaw dropping guitarist.
The song writing is stronger than ever, and scar symmetry have really crafted their own sound on this album. They pushed their Progressive side a bit further on this album. which i think was a good move. The vocals are amazing. Christian is one of my favorite vocalists. He does everything from deep growling, to screeching, to clean melodic vocals to almost power metal sounding vocals. A extremely talented singer.
All in All you got one of the finest metal albums to come out in a long time. i recommend to all metal fans out there!
for fans of Edge of Sanity, Dan Swano, Soilwork, symphony x, and opeth. if you like those bands you will most likely like scar symmetry.
Another SS gem! July 20, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have been listening to SS since they released their debut album 3 years ago. Immediately I fell in love with them! I thought that they had a great balance between Death growls and melodic music/singing, without compromising any brutality.
Then the second CD came out, I was blown away! They had managed to keep the growling and intensity but became a little more melodic, which actually sounded better!
So when I heard they had a 3rd CD coming out, I nearly pissed my pants! I couldn't wait for it to come out, then a week ago, I received the album and immediately popped it into my stereo.
I listened to the whole album and thought it was a very good follow up album, had the growling, had the melody, the excellent lyrics, etc..
However, something felt different... I couldn't tell what it was, but something about it sounded different.
So I checked to see if they changed band members; nope, same guys. Then I thought maybe it was the production; nope, same producer and record company. Is it my speakers?; nope, the speakers are fine. So what is it?
To try and figure out what it was, I popped in their first CD, listened to some of it, then I popped in their second CD, listened to some of it, then I put their 3rd CD back in to re-listen to it and it hit me, I finally figured out what it was... it is MORE melodic!!!
Now although it is more melodic, the album isn't too melodic so thats good.
On top of that, it has actually compromised some (not much) of it's intensity, especially in the growling field, in favor of more melody. One of the things that always fascinated me about Aelvestam's growling, is that it was very unique. Whereas most DM growlers sound like the cookie monster, Aelvestam's growling sounded more like a barking sound then a growling sound, while at the same time, sometimes switching to a higher pitched growling sound, which I thought was awesome and more brutal. On this album however, like I said, the growlings intensity has been lessened (just a little) and there isn't as much barking now...
Another thing, is that Scar always had this ability to alternate between clean singing and barking and/or growling in every song. However on their 3rd CD, they dont alternate between clean singing and growling/barking as much, as a matter of fact, some songs have too much clean singing, while some are practically nothing but singing, perfect example would be the second track, great song, but he growls (no barks) for the first and ONLY time around the halfway mark, for only about 3 seconds!
It is like a straining growl instead, like in The Kaleidoscopic God but without the barking that song also had...
So naturally, at first, I thought I would hate it and figured I'd probably like Pitch.. better, but the more I listened to the album, the better I thought it sounded and the more appreciated the melodic elements! This is actually an excellent SS CD, I've been replaying it over and over in my stereo since I got it!
To break it down:
Morphogenesis: Great song. Imo, I think it kinda starts up a little to quick without any intro, but it does start growling right from the start which is great. It is melodic and has a great chorus. Makes a great opener. 9/10
Timewave Zero: This song is actually a great song, even catchier then the first song and has a nice riff, unfortunately though, as I mentioned, it has practically no growling, just a little too much singing for my tastes, still good though. 8/10
Quantamleaper: Starts with a great hook and consists of great DM growling! Not as much singing in this song either, which I like better. As with the previous 2 songs, has a great chorus, more melodic, without being too long either. Great lyrics as well. 10/10
Artificial Sun Projection: One of the best songs on this album. Very crunchy guitars, great riffing, lyrics aren't AS great, but still good. Also has cleaner singing in this song, but without forgetting about the growling, very catchy. Perfect balance imo. 10/10
The Missing Coordinates: Starts off fast with some awesome synthesizers (which appear throughout the song), then immediately growls with some awesome harsh and hollow sounding growling as well, kind of hard to explain... The song is a little slower then the others, lyrics aren't as complex but still great and the chorus isn't as good, though they aren't as clean either, so maybe thats a good thing. 8/10
Ghost Prototype I: Measurement Of Thought: Part one of ghost prototype. Starts out with great guitar work. Singing is more melodic and not as much growling, but still great and the lyrics are complex. Isn't really a catchy song though imo. It isn't bad though and has a great riff to. 7/10.
Fear Catalyst: Has great growling and good lyrics, drumming is good too, but the song isn't very catchy (except the growling) and I dont really care much for the singing in this particular song though. 7/10
Trapezoid: Starts off more melodic, with more singing and cleaner vocals in this song, however has great lyrics and the chorus isn't too bad, also alternates great between the singing and growling, sounds natural. Riff isn't bad either. Still doesn't leave a lasting impression though... 7/10
Prism And Gate: Blasts right out of the gate with growling which also lasts through most of the song. Great lyrics and chorus. Hits some nice notes while singing. Alternates between singing and growling with a natural effortless sound. The riffing is also good. One of the better songs imo. 10/10
Holographic Universe: The title track. The longest song on here as well. Also starts off slower then some of the other songs but picks of speed quickly with great drumming and guitars. Growling is great and also lasts through most of the song. The lyrics are great and the singing is great as well, not to melodic either and without taking up to much of the song. This song also contains more music and less vocals as well, leaving room for more synthesizers and riffing. 10/10
The Three-Dimensional Shadow: Awesome growling on here! Starts off great and contains very catchy growling. The lyrics are great and the song contains great use of synthesizers on this one. The singing on this one isn't as melodic and doesn't stand out as much in the song either. Great guitar work as well. Drumming is great too. 10/10
Ghost Prototype II: Deus Ex Machina: Part 2 of ghost prototype. Starts off slower and gets a little faster throughout the song, but maintains a more melodic sound. Has slower softer singing as well. The growling also roughly takes up about half the song, so it is a nice balance between half growling and singing. Has great lyrics and a nice chorus. Songwise is catchy and the riffing is great here too. Also at times sounds like the guitars are being filtered through a voicebox, but it fits nicely. Ends on a nice slow fadeout.
Great album closer. 10/10
All in all, this is a great follow up to Pitch Black Progress. Scar Symmetry continuously proves that they are they gods of Melodic Death Metal, and this album is no exception.
On this album, SS decided to experiment a little and amazingly, it actually made worked out for the best!
Compared to previous CD's it is a little slower and melodic, but also has excellent songwriting, great growling and the singing is top notch (actually better) as well!
At first, it might take a little getting used to, but it is worth it. Trust me, once you pop this CD in, you'll never be able to stop listening to it! With each listen, the CD gets better and better. The more you listen to it, the more you'll appreciate the complex song structures and maturity displayed throughout this album.
Imo, this CD is better then their last 2 CDs and I can't wait for their next offering.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to listen to this album... again.
Scar Who? August 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I stumbled upon this album on accident, and I'm damn glad I did. I checked out their back log of albums after hearing this album; and while both their prior albums are gems, this album is their best so far. The album defies any single particular genre of metal; IE power or death metal, but rather has a mix of...everything. Scar Symmetry is similar to Into Eternity or Opeth in that their songs are everywhere but they manage to make it work. As in they REALLY work. That's where the similarities end though. This is one of those rare bands that doesn't sound like anyone. Everything here works - the violent shifts from melodic to crushing, the savage growls, the sing-along choruses, the heavy riffs, everything.
The opening track gives you a good idea of what to expect on this album. It doesn't take long into the song for the melody to give way to brutal heaviness...which in turn quickly gives way to a sing-along chorus. The song is complex with several layers and tempo shifts. The 2nd track manages to crush with its opening riffs...but like the opener changes violently into a melodic beast. Every song on the albums is this way, and every song manages to sound different. Making every song unique from the other is a feat in itself - making them interesting is an altogether different beast. Track 4 even opens with a violin. Track 9; Prism and Gate, may be my favorite track. It opens with some BRUTAL heaviness. But then an addictive chorus comes out of left field. I don't know how to explain how the chorus is so addictive, other than that similar to the album's tempo changes the chorus changes tones? I'm at a loss as how to explain it, you will probably just have to listen for youself. The closing track threatens to be the obligatory ballad. Just when you begin to accept the fact, and begin to enjoy the beautiful vocals- come some booming drums and blow the ballad theory out of the water.
The problem with reviewing an album like this is that it can actually be summed up quite easily. Every song contains melody, clean vocals, growls, shrieks, crunchy guitars, blast beats, guitar solos, and most importantly, suprises. Fans of Opeth should particularly enjoy this band, as should anyone that doesn't mind a bit of extreme heaviness in their music.
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