One bright note is the new found emphasis on ambient keyboard runs which would go on to play a bigger role through the album’s 12 track 50 minute duration. But unfortunately the song runs out of steam in the uninspired verse and haphazard chorus. Opening up with blistering drums and shrieking vocals, the song starts off promising enough. Generally Caliban have been pretty consistent in delivering infectious pit stirring anthems but 24 Years” kind of disappoints. You wouldn’t know by the first single “24 Years“. This time around Caliban have opted for an atmospheric and textured sound with a striking amount of aggression and melody. Caliban’ music has generally been heavy metal core in the vein of Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, and Pantera, but they’ve grown increasingly melodic over the years. Say Hello To Tragedy, the band’s 7th release improves on a stagnant musical style by tightening up on the core songwriting abilities while experimenting with new ideas and dynamics. Not just that blonde lady’s Chihuahua being snatched up by a ***ing Owl. This one dimensional approach has been commercially successful for the band but in a double edged sword type situation Caliban has lost much of it’s luster since 2004’s The Opposite From Within. I dub them the German Killswitch Engage for better and worse. Caliban, forming in 1997 have released 7 full length albums, all basically relying on staccato riffing, driving verses, and epic choruses to hook the listener.
Caliban fall in between the genre’s constraints although they’ve been around a lot longer than most of these other metal influenced hardcore bands that integrate cleanly sung choruses into brutal hardcore. Modern metalcore on one hand is loved by many with it’s fashionable image, catchy choruses, and sick breakdowns while hated by others for the same exact reasons. Sure they look cute but once you turn your back on a Great Horned Owl, watch out because it’s going to rip you apart with it’s talons. What most people don’t know however, is that owls are savage mother***ers that dispose of their prey in the most vile of manners. Most people are amused by owls with their plump body structure and oddly cute HOOT! HOOT! HOOTING! patterns that echo through the night. Like an owl perhaps with it’s piercing eyes, constantly angry facial expressions, and seamless ability to turn their heads around to an 270 degree extent. Often times melodic and atmospheric, and at other times savage and relentless, Caliban explore new territory while staying true to their
Review Summary: Powerful songwriting and strong musicanship have revitalized the career of this long running German metalcore outfit.
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