Whole

One of the advantages to writing reviews for music, other than getting to listen to music, is that I learn about new bands. In this case, it's a new band to me but a band that has been around since 1997, so technically not so new. I'm talking about the band SOiL (yes that's how it's spell with the capital letters and one lower case), the band that evidently has had different members switching out and 4 other albums, all of which I've never heard about or of but now I'm writing a review of their new and fifth album Whole.
SOiL is a metal band, though one song wasn't quite metal, but as a whole it's a metal band that ranges in intensity. This band has what I would expect a metal band to have in their songs, power, energy, and an intensity. They also have what all songs should have, fun, good beats, and vocals that has a good sound to them. What I liked is that the songs have an attitude to them that give them an edge. Another point that I want to make that I liked about this album is that the songs have a different sound from one to the next. It's a mistake that most metal bands make, they play their songs loud, fast, and have a lot of screaming vocals. I suppose they think this makes for a heavy metal song but I'm here to say that songs like “One Love” that has a slower tempo to the vocals, a deeper guitar opening, and well there are still some screaming, but the song shows that not all screaming makes for a metal song.
While listening to this I was reminded of heavy metal of the 90's where the bands where trying to break away from the sound of the 80's. Maybe the songs aren't that fresh with their sound but it's one that makes me feel like the band was having fun playing the songs. SOiL might not stand out as one of the best bands but they do sound good and their songs are fun. Of course the songs are driven by guitar riffs more so than the drums but don't let that fool you because there are some heavy drums being played. There's a good mixture being used here where not one element is played or used more than the others. Sure the vocals have moments where they are playing over the instruments but they are few and still not so much where I didn't hear the instruments. Whole was fun album, not a great one, but one that I enjoyed listening to.