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Little by little, the United States seems to be catching up to Europe in the realm of metal, as technically proficient metal bands are born on an increasingly common basis. Darkest Hour and others have done it, and The Agony Scene is now taking their turn with their self-titled Solid State Records debut. Much like At The Gates and The Haunted, The Agony Scene is punishing the American metal scene through their crisp, precise blend of thrash and death metal, with some Zao-like grooves that will excite those who are still mourning the aforementioned band's demise.
Carrying The Agony Scene is vocalist Michael Williams, whose raspy, high-pitched screams and deep growls attempt to steal the show from the fiery guitar riffs and blazing percussion work. Very similar to Europe's thrashy metal bands, the guitar parts slice like a freshly-sharpened machete, giving the music its energetic and authentic feel, while drummer Brent Masters unleashes a vigorous and precise barrage of double bass kicks and classic kick-snare repititions. The band's musical package, while nothing that hasn't been done before, is incredibly tight, with some infectious, bass-heavy grooves adding to the variety.
While The Agony Scene surely has a solid grasp on metallic music that European bands have perfected, they also manage to give their music a more dynamic feeling by adding elements of modern metalcore, and less predictable song structures. The music isn't completely straightforward, with some groove-laden interludes breaking up the blazing speeds, as well as a couple of destructive breakdowns to add some homeland flavor. The closing breakdown in "Judas" is completely pit-friendly, and the slower pace of the opener, "We Bury Our Dead At Dawn," is a prime example of the band's Zao influences. The cover of The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" is terrific, with less of the European intensity, and more American catchiness providing the song with loads of life.
The Agony Scene generally sticks to the European thrash metal style throughout much of their self-titled opus, and while little new ground is actually explored, the band's knack for writing intense, thrashy metal is impossible to ignore. Metal purists may not care for The Agony Scene's American influences, but most fans of metal will surely have a blast listening to this self-titled display of proficient, thrashy, and melodic metal.
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