Sonic Syndicate have always had a heap of melodic nous. Even on their earliest, heaviest material the catchiness of their Swedish countrymen’s classic Gothenburg sound was deeply imbedded.
Although, let’s not beat around the bush here: sixth album Confessions has absolutely nothing to do with metal. Clear from the moment the opening title track’s synth-heavy pop leaves you straining to hear even a pinch of guitar, this is a world away from the kind of fayre you’d associate with this magazine.
Outside influences don’t necessarily make you a bad band – in fact the ‘Whoah-oh’ chorus of Start A War is quite the earworm – but, that moment aside, Sonic Syndicate have delivered possibly the blandest, sappiest, most insipid album you’ll read about in these pages this year. The production is sickly, the vocals whiningly emotive to the point of self-parody and the guitars are simply non-existent. If you’re a fan of heavy metal and alternative culture then Confessions deserves nothing other than your utter contempt.
