Awesome Vegan Straight Edge 90's (Black)Metal Band you've probably heard of They've changed a lot during the time - sound (with each recording) and members (through the years) In the beginning (Figures - 1996) it was Martin VonBargen aka Onion (Solstice) on Guitar, David Fergusson aka Mortiis on Drums and two "random" guys on Vocals and Bass aka Schoky & Martin Wainwright (concerning Tom)! (The Band was formed in 1993, so there might have been some recordings before this Demo as well, if you know something more - please tell me!) However, these tracks sounded much more like Metal with Hardcore influence, compared to... ...A Certain Innate Suffering (1997), which sounded like fucking true British Black Metal! Chris Meadows (Slavearc, Koreisch) did the Vocals on that one
and Foster (Slavearc, Koreisch) the Bass - so you can easily imagine where the lyrics went as well.
In 1999 their first full length followed - Seeds of Inhumanity. This was when they caught my attention, musically - much more 90's Metalcore! Members changed as well - The Vocals are now contributed by Ian Leck (Vorhees)! I read somewhere "like Integrity meets Iron Maiden" what matches very good.
This was when they changed their line-up again and became Evanesce (in 2000)! Jason hearne replaced Ian on Vocals and Colin Robertson replaced Phil Smith on the Bass Anyway, even if I wont make friends with this, to me this is musically their best recording really good Black/Death Metal influenced 90's Metalcore! A Split LP with Conquest Of Steel followed in 2002 It has been labeld as Melodic Death metal on some pages ..and I'm fine with that! (although that I somehow tend to label everything I like with Metalcore)
In 2006 after they changed the line-up one last time, the final Record Secure The Shadow got released. Grant Richardson (Slide) became their last Vocalist. Martin/Onion and David/Mortiis remain as the only two constant members. Members went on to bands like: Walk The Plank, SSS, Meatlocker, Sick Fuckin O, Thekevorkiansolution, ...
Lineup
Dave Fergusson - Drums (1994-1999, 2005, 2018) (ex-Sheer Attack, ex-Evanesce, Coughin Vicars, ex-SSS, ex-Diluvium, ex-Salem Rages, ex-Walk the Plank, ex-Will to Power)
Martin Von Bargen - Guitars (1994-1999, 2018) (ex-Evanesce)
Danny McDermott - Guitars (1996-1999, 2018) (ex-Evanesce)
Phil Smith - Bass (1998-1999, 2018) (ex-Noyade, ex-Evanesce)
Ian Leck - Vocals (1998-1999, 2018) (Voorhees, ex-Meatlocker, ex-Night Stalker, ex-Sick Fuckin O, ex-Steadfast, ex-Walk the Plank)
Release
WITHDRAWN
Figures. ' Demo 1995
A Certain Innate Suffering ' EP 1997
x151x ' Demo 1998
Seeds of Inhumanity ' Full-length 1999
Withdrawn were a bunch of guys from the UK hardcore scene. I cannot remember whether they were a 'message' band or not, but they certainly had members who were vegan, vegetarian and/or straightedge. Musically, they sounded like late-nineties metallic hardcore crossed with mid-nineties melodic death metal. They released this debut album ("Seeds of Inhumanity") under the Withdrawn moniker, before changing their name and making a couple of albums as Evanesce. They switched vocalists several times throughout their career. The vocalist on this album came from a hardcore punk band called Vorhees. He had a gritty, desperate style that differed from the death growls on the band's "A Certain Innate Suffering" EP. These vocals also make a refreshing change from the standard screams of the time.
The main influence comes from earlier US metallic hardcore bands like Judge, Earth Crisis and Abnegation, but there is plenty of Slayer and some rudimentary melodic death metal in here too. These guys hailed from Liverpool, the same city as Carcass. They would have grown up worshiping "Heartwork". I can hear Anathema too (another Scouse band of international standing), listen to the melodic and doomy riffs on "Tainted" for a prime example. The combination of these ideas makes for some interesting hardcore.
The band were decent musicians considering the relative lack of musicianship in the hardcore scene compared to the metal scene. This more direct approach was often an advantage for hardcore bands, increasing the focus on energy and dynamics (and on songs that could catch fire in a live environment). The best songs here, like "Bloodaxe" and "Striation", do just that. The latter is my favourite. I love the controlled deceleration, into a chug that is slightly out of time with the vocals and drumming, heaving into a massive breakdown and then a moodier section at the end which leads to a chanting outro. It is one of the best songs from this era of metallic hardcore. I like the title track too, with its crawling opening section and “Seasons in the Abyss”-inspired gloom in the middle.
One of the distinctive aspects of this record is the drumming. Unlike a lot of these metal-influenced hardcore bands, you can tell that the drummer was a proper metal-head. He has an almost lackadaisical, easy-sounding style that reminds me of Dave Lombardo (though obviously not in the same league). He uses lots of syncopation and often plays ‘around’ the main riff pattern while retaining the momentum. It is the antithesis of the mechanical, metronomic playing we hear more often these days.
This album has aged well, better than the “Sower of Sedition” album that followed (as Evanesce). Sure, the guitar tone is thinner than it should be and there are a couple of boring filler songs in the latter half ("Fuelled by Fear", "Hate Reborn"). This does not deflate the album because there is enough quality, and enough righteous rage, to suffice. It might not win many converts who were not listening to this stuff at the time, but I am glad I gave it another listen after so many years.
EVANESCE
Sower of Sedition ' Full-length 2001
Nearly Live Experience ' Compilation 2002
Stadiums of Steel / Schemes of Subversion ' Split 2003
Secure the Shadow ' Full-length 2006
I feel sorry for this band. Soon after changing their name from Withdrawn to Evanesce, some American gothic/pop/metal band finds international fame with a similar-sounding name. From then on, this Liverpool-based death metal band was forever confused with a much bigger band in a different genre. I saw these guys play live a few times during the 1999-2002 period (both as Withdrawn and as Evanesce). My casual observation was that their name change coincided with them distancing themselves from the hardcore scene (which Withdrawn were part of). This album, "Sower of Sedition", is melodic death metal with little, if anything, tracing it back to hardcore.
I enjoyed listening to it when it came out. The harsh, gravel-throated screams of the new vocalist sounded evil enough (reminding me of the Canadian band, Spread the Disease). The production was clear enough, the riffing was solid enough and the guitarists played some nice melodies too. It reminded me of those post-death metal records like "Heartwork" and "Symbolic". Evanesce never pretended to have the same level of talent or creativity, but they sounded more malevolent than the likes of In Flames and Arch Enemy (neither of whom ever appealed to me).
This record hasn't aged well. The band lacked the fluidity-at-speed of those more famous albums. I would struggle to pick out a memorable song, aside from (perhaps) the title track. By contrast, I can remember every song from "Heartwork" or "Symbolic" (or "Slaughter of the Soul", for that matter). The removal of the band's hardcore essence lessens any impact it may have had. These songs lack the energy and movement that was abundant on the band's debut album ("Seeds of Inhumanity", as Withdrawn). You won't find a song like "Striation" here, or even a song like "Bloodaxe" or "Incinerate". Even the band's secret weapon, drummer Dave Ferguson, sounds constricted by these songs and by this brash production. His 'catch up and roll' style is still recognisable, but it doesn't sound as fluid as on the Withdrawn album.
For me, the band would have been better off packing twice as many riffs into half as many songs (like, say Liers in Wait) or stripping the songs down to retain the hardcore elements (like Withdrawn). “Sower of Sedition” is a half-way house approach that doesn't sound as good as it could. I doubt I will listen to it again. Check out Withdrawn instead, they were great.
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