Neuraxis, The Thin Line Between
I’m usually not real blunt when it comes to these reviews, but there comes a time when nothing else will do. So here we go. The Thin Line Between sounds like a watered down version of the Neuraxis of old. Gone is the technical recklessness — the willingness to experiment outside of the standard death metal realms. Sure, the technical metal on this disc would destroy new comers to the genre, but it certainly doesn’t live up to the unfocused destruction of past albums. It’s still a damn fine, consistent metal attack, but without that variation of the past it’s not quite as entertaining.
We’ve heard Leblanc’s vocals before in the form of the band’s live album and his side project, Point Blank Rage. While his vocals lack the dynamic range of the past vocalist, he more than makes up for it in pure death metal guttural power. I actually prefer his delivery on Point Blank Rage’s album in a more traditional death metal sense. The technical prowess of the rest of the band may be too much for the more monotone Leblanc.
The duel guitar interplay is great, complete with chugging riffs, technical fills and impressive lead work. I just wish there were some more experimentation on their part. There’s something to say for consistency, however, so we’ll leave it at that. Filling in the rhythm section the bass work and drums lay down heavy blasts and crushing beats with precision.
Darkness Prevails
The opening series of riffs for Darkness Prevails kick major ass, especially when joined by the heavy drum work. Rapid tempo shifts and start/stops should keep you thoroughly entertained through the opening track. There are some moments of slick galloping riffs that push the listener along briskly. The 2:38 mark sees the band’s first solo effort and it’s pretty damned sweet.
Wicked
“Wicked” keeps the momentum flowing even with its slower, quieter initial few seconds. A big riff and light drum work come in around the 20 second mark after the brief lull in the storm. The riffs that follow are memorable and fairly groove oriented. Leblanc’s vocals go a bit deeper this time around. There’s a slick lead at 1:45 that’s short lived but soulful. It’s quickly swallowed by pummeling drums and driving riffs. There are some pretty technical moments in the latter half of the song that has that patented Neuraxis sound.
Versus
Memorable guitar work and spastic drums make the opening few seconds “Versus” addictive, especially with that scream thrown in for good measure. This is one bruising track with machine gun drumming and slick, catchy hooks. The chorus is also catchy and easy enough to bark along with. Watch out for the lead at 3:53 and the huge scream that follows.
Deviation Occurs
Chugging rhythms get this next one moving along nicely. The drum work on “Deviation Occurs” is impressive. There are a few leads in this one that are pretty killer, especially the trading solos toward the later portions of the track (around 3:18). The first lead at 1:31 has a great feel as Leblanc growls over top of it. There’s more double bass blasts than you can imagine on this one.
The Thin Line Between
The title track features Luc Lemay of Gorguts fame on guest vocals. This monster of a track starts off with manic drum work and lasts a good eight minutes in length. Man, there’s a bunch of stuff going on in this song. Huge riffs, technical fills and unrelenting rhythms all combine for an epic death metal track. There’s a brief slow down with plenty of silence at the six minute mark that leads into a rolling bass line and light drums. That lasts for about 50 seconds before beefy riffs and layered guttural vocals bring you out of the brief slumber.
Dreaming The End
Madness ensues at the beginning of “Dreaming the End” with demonic drums and cruising guitars. Massive tempo shifts pummel the listener senseless and keep you completely off balance as Neuraxis leap from rhythm to rhythm effortlessly. There are some tremendous galloping riffs dotting the landscape of this one, as well.
Standing Despite…
This instrumental sounds familiar for some reason as it starts out with light guitar picking. It lasts about a minute and a half.
Oracle
“Oracle” also features Lemay on guest vocals, but isn’t nearly as epic as the last song he appeared on for Neuraxis. This one is probably a third of the length of the title track and more straight forward in its delivery. The dual leads to end the track are pretty damned slick and will stick with you for a while.
Phoenix
This one starts out at a bludgeoning pace with thick guitars and pummeling drums. The vocals are even that much more guttural and aggressive to match. There is also some more prominent bass work that stands out a bit more throughout the track.
The All And The Nothing
The final track features former Neuraxis and current Torn Within vocalist Chris Alsop on guest growls. The track starts out with acoustic guitar for the first 30 seconds, then a few great, memorable riffs come in strong with beefy drums. Man, I can’t get enough of those opening riffs. Alsop’s presence definitely adds some depth to the vocals especially when layered with Leblanc’s own growls. This is definitely a strong finale for a pretty damned good album.
~ ~ ~
Favorite Tracks:
As I stated before, this is a great technical death metal album, but it just doesn’t match the experimentation we’ve seen/heard in past Neuraxis albums. That said, this disc consistently hits heavier and heavier on each subsequent listen. I’m sure it’s more focused, straight forward approach may irk some fans, but should bring in more from the metal realm that may not have appreciated the band’s various forays in the past.
Additional Notes:
N/A