"Planetary Duality"

The Faceless - "Planetary Duality"
November 12, 2008
Producer: Michael Keene

    If you are a fan of Death Metal you are a fan of extremely fast music. While that is an obvious statement, the point I'm trying to get across is basically this: Everyone in this genre is very capable of executing fast, heavy and aggressive music.
  
    So while it is easy to find countless bands that fit the criteria above, it is also at the same time kind of depressing. There was a time where all it took was the speed and nature of the music to be considered a good Death Metal band. Nowadays bands have to be willing to take the next step in working to create an identity of their own and put their own fingerprint in this wonderful but sometimes mundane genre of music. However, a California quintet known as The Faceless were up to the challenge and did they ever deliver!!.
  
    Whether your a fan of melodic leads, themes and passages. Or whether your a fan of technical riffing and time changes, it is all here within this record. Producer Michael Keene (who also serves as the band's primary songwriter and guitarist) does a stellar job at capturing everything his band was looking to accomplish with this album.
  
    The Faceless' claim to fame more-or-less is the guitar work from the guitarist duo of Michael Keene and Steve Jones. Throughout the entire record both of their playing abilities shine without question. Showing casing both of their strong senses of rhythm, flawless time changes and tastes for melodic and even softer sections (like the instrumental interlude "Shape Shifters" for example.)
  
    While this record adds a little more diversity in the fact that the band does explore more with experimenting around with genre-hopping. With a couple more sections with clean vocals provided by Michael Keene, the use of robotic vocals for a few different sections throughout the album and proper use of keyboards throughout (which is a major improvement from their debut album "Akeldama".) This excellent record does come with a couple of personal flaws in my opinion.
  
    While the band pushed the bar up once again rising the technicality of their music, even with additional breath-taking moments throughout the entire record. In my eyes they were off the mark just a little bit as I found myself missing some of the incredible melodies found on "Akeldama." Furthermore, while the use of robotic vocals can be and are really cool, on this album I found them to sound almost out of place and could be considered by some to sound comical.
  
    However, "Planetary Duality" was indeed the right step and progression for The Faceless to make. You have to respect the band for not making "Akeldama - Part 2," and following their own musical instincts to make the exact record they wanted to make. It simply comes down to maybe "Planetary Duality" just didn't hit me nearly as hard as "Akeldama" did?
  
    With all comparisons aside I can tell you this though. "Planetary Duality" is one record that is very much worth owning and dare I say was one of the more elite records of 2008. All I can really say in closing is this: I am very excited to hear what their next record will have to offer. Furthermore, to see what musical boundaries, ideas and inspirations that have influenced them over the last three to four years.

     My Killer Kutz: "Xenochrist", "Coldly Calculated Design" and "Prison Born"