Review: Deathpoint – Sinister
Artist: Deathpoint
Album: Sinister
Rating: 10/10
Tracklist:
1. For Your Eyes Only
2. Between the Lines
3. Sinister
4. Sick, Sick, Sick
5. Remission
6. Entitled to Nothing
7. Condemned to Suffer
8. Lost Haven
9. Thirty Stitches
When first introduced to Hamilton, Ontario’s own Deathpoint, I was stunned to say the least. With a name like that, you’d expect to hear something extremely heavy and, in a sense, that’s what you get but it goes deeper than what you would normally expect. You can feel every beat, every lick, every note sung as if it were etched into your skin. How many bands do you know that can manage to pull off something like that? With their sophomore album, “Sinister”, they really took this to a new level and give you their special brand of melodic groove metal, the only way they know how: hard, fast, loud and in your face! From the opening track “For Your Eyes Only” all the way up to the climactic end “Thirty Stitches”, you feel every emotion bestowed upon you the way the band intended it. These tracks have subjects that many fans will relate to, lyrics that will adhere themselves to your heart and beats that will keep you moving from start to finish in one way or another. “Sinister”, put simply is an absolute masterpiece.
Lyrical Content: Like I said, this album has subjects that many and, quite possibly, ALL fans will relate to. The opening track “For Your Eyes Only” is about being calm and relaxed on the outside while breaking apart on the inside for only that person to see. We all have wore that mask that attempts to hide our sorrow, guilt, pain, whatever the case may be from the world. It seems easier to hold it in, rather than let it out and cope with how you’re feeling. This track seems to be about a parent or loved one leaving in a time of need. It’s no secret that there are MANY people out there who have had their mother, father or both walk out on them when they needed them most. It always feels like it’s your fault, but once it happens more than once, you find a way to deal with it and grow cold towards that person because of it. You know that, if they do it once, they’ll do it again if they come back so you don’t bother getting close to them again. When your parents put you down, it’s the worst feeling you can imagine…I went through it for many years but you just have to tell yourself that you’re better than that. This track is a way of doing that. The next track “Between the Lines” seems to speak of the struggle between living righteously and living as a sinner. It can be so easy to be tempted away from the path of righteousness and some decide to live in sin anyway, because it’s easier and more fun. Whichever you choose, you know how you want to live your life and that’s the way you should live it. You shouldn’t let anyone discourage you from being you just because “God” frowns upon it. Being brought up in a Christian household, growing up Christian…I have been through all the hypocrisies, the false lives that many lead and everything in between. Because of all that, I have chosen to live life how I see fit and not worry about if there’s a heaven, hell, afterlife or anything of the sort. Bottom line, your life is yours to live so don’t let others stray you from your path. This album is fueled by hate, but hate that is justified, which many will figure out when they listen to the lyrics of this album. It may sound like it came from the pits of hell at times, but it’s more souls crying out in angst than being truly evil.
Instrumentation: Let’s speak first about the ability behind the band’s new vocalist, Tom Emmans on this album, you get anything from beautiful, eerie singing to straight out hate-filled screams that will chill you to your core. To me, at certain points, I’m reminded of Slipknot with the.. I guess you can call it rap-screaming? Not really sure what to call it but it sounds amazing given the instrumentals backing it. The guitars are filthy, fast, loud and beyond anything I’ve heard from the genre in a long time. The drum beats will blast you through your walls and make the album feel overall more deadly than you would expect and the bass lines bring a nice groove to it all.
Overall: I really enjoy this album, it’s definitely one I find myself listening to when I’m angry or pumped up about something but it’s not something I couldn’t find myself listening to out of habit. I recommend picking it up if you’re a fan of ANY metal genre, but especially the death metal/melodic groove metal sub-genres. You will find yourself banging your head, throwing your horns and feeling absolutely drained of all energy when you’ve finished it. So, get in touch with your “Sinister” side on October 1st when this beast is unleashed via Spread the Metal Records!
