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Tuesday 7 January 2014

Review – Collibus – The False Awakening (2014)

 Adam Hunter Music Blog - 6th Jan 2014
TFA-Cover
The False Awakening is released on 20/01/2014 – more info @ http://www.collibus.com
Collibus  - The False Awakening (2014)
Track Listing:1. Lie In Wait2. Leave It All Behind
3. The Fallen
4. Thoughts In Vain
5. Burn Out
6. Break The Silence
7. Undone
8. Hollow
9. Dead Inside (Official video below)
10. Insurrection
11. Lifeblood
12. Spite
13. The Hunted
14. The False Awakening
2014 begins with a bang as Collibus release their debut album The False Awakening on 20thJanuary, and what an album it is.
Collibus are a prog-metal band from Manchester. Winners of the 2013 Discretionary Rock Award of Parliament’s largest competition, Rock the House. Collibus became the first metal band to play within the House of Commons.
Having been booked to play Download Festival later in 2014, Collibus are a band on the rise with supporters such as Dr. Brian May of Queen regularly singing the bands praises via his Twitter account.
The first thing you will notice about this album is that it is long. The album is just short of an hour and ten minutes in length. But let me stop you there, this album never drags and is paced extremely well. The track listing has been expertly laid out so that it peaks and troughs in all the right places, taking the listener on an epic journey.
The overall sound is less progressive and more in the metal category. For someone who listens to a lot of progressive music I think that this has served the album well. There are occasions like Lie In Wait, where the band introduce the album with synths and programmed drums that are reminiscent of many tired and dated Dream Theater introductions.
However, Collibus have reduced the synth and keyboard parts to a secondary role. It brings a fresh organic approach to the progressive metal genre that, let’s face it, has been the same for about a decade. It’s great to hear Collibus attempt to be different, and my do they pull it off.
Gemma Fox, the bands vocalist is perhaps the best-kept secret in the music industry. Fox has such a command of her voice, so powerful as she cuts through a wall of guitars. Perfectly executed harmonies that make her vocals really pop out of the mix. The title track The False Awakeningshows Fox’s range, a nod to Queen with layered harmonies and venom in her voice. Clearly passionate in what she is singing, Fox constantly grabs the bull by the horns. ThroughoutLifeblood, Insurrection, Dead Inside, Leave It All Behind I am in awe of a voice, that along with virtuosic guitar is clearly the bands signature.
Stephen Platt, the bands lead guitarist and producer is as technically gifted as any guitarist within the metal genre. Platt’s solo’s will mesmerise, terrorise and leave the listener gobsmacked throughout. Check Burn Out, Leave It All Behind, Lifeblood and my favourite Dead Inside, which is one of the most technically constructed and awe inspiring solos I’ve heard in such a long time.
The album is a sonic master class that teases the senses. The sonic pallet is so vast; using reverb trails, reversed vocals and other effects and production techniques that compliment the over all sonic tapestry. The drums are powerful; the guitars are like a wall that surrounds the ensemble. I always thought bass was non-existent in prog metal. But no, Platt has found a way for you to hear all the instruments without compromising in audio quality, allowing the listener to hear each instrument with masterful precision.
Each riff punches you in the face, with the might of a wrecking ball demolishing the past, giving us something new over and over. The execution of each note has been timed to perfection by each of the band members. This band is one collective unit, like a gang of yobs out to brutally grab the listener by the throat and demand their attention. All this is in a debut album? The future is bright, Metal is alive, Collibus have kicked off 2014 in quite some fashion.
AHM Rating 5/5
A fantastic debut album, looking forward to seeing Collibus take the world by storm.
Collibus are
Gemma Fox 
- Lead Vocals
Stephen Platt 
- Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals/Producer
Daniel Mucs
 – Rhythm Guitar
RJ Kershaw
 – Bass
TBA
 – Drums
Collibus Official Dead Inside VIdeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZn938T8iK8

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