Finland already understood that. Over there, Children Of Bodom kept Backstreet Boys off the top of the charts, simply by selling more albums. And that brings us to Black Sleep. They're Finnish and they're an excellent example of the mindset of Finnish metal bands. Like many of their predecessors, Black Sleep mangle a heap of influences and come out with something renewing, something with a clear eye on the future of the genre.
I can hear fragments from death metal, black metal, arena rock, gothic rock and industrial. At one moment in 'Soulcatcher' I caught myself thinking "this is what would happen if Marilyn Manson and Dimmu Borgir or The Kovenant teamed up". Harsh, intensely grinding guitars, methodical drums and a massive array of synths give the whole that gloomy, almost gothic industrial feeling, and it's so damn nice.
Another reference could be found in industrial acts like Nine Inch Nails, God Lives Underwater or Zeromancer, but then clearly in a brutal way, even grotesque at times. 'Moonstock' for example blends Ministry with some modern metalcore bands and add synths which remind me of Gary Numan. Yes, Gary Numan, because why not. Eighties synths on metal, apparently it perfectly works, but of course Atrocity already showed us that.
I mentioned two of the six songs, but there is one more I need to write about. Opener 'Tiny Pieces', which you can listen above this review, is a world class song. It's one of those songs which show what a band stands for and what its true potential is. It's also one of those songs who remind me why I initially became a metalhead anyway: it's pure musical genius. Oh, and closer 'Animal Puppets' is just damn weird, which is also awesome.
Serge