The Exceptions of the Rebellions

There's a bit of a soft spot somewhere in my unhallowed coal of a heart that warmly welcomes melodic death metal for a brief yet controlled period of time. Bands like Scar Symmetry et al. can occasionally make stuff that's fun and appealing in its own little right, and I had the pleasure of serendipitously discovering a small squad budding in the mysterious landmass of Singapore called Assault. Their debut EP, "Exceptions of the Rebellions," is at the very least a consistent, punching release that accurately represents a good chunk of what melodic death metal is supposed to be, although there happens to be a few rough patches coiling in the machine. Overall though, the four-song effort strikes quickly and stays in its relaxed position, an accurate snapshot of the confident and dashing gentlemen running this nifty Assault group.

I'm not really familiar with most of melodic death metal's harbingers excluding the legends and some personal favorites, but Assault, at least in my own eyes, uses the highly melodic riffs and melodies frequently depicted in melodic death metal; that's pretty much the core essence of the EP. It might sound a little stale because they're doing what's been done before, but they make themselves known here. There are clusters of quirky, accustomed riffs, melodies and solos that are quite listenable and even impressive at times, and the vocals are powerful yelps of war-filled growls. Assault's prime picture is the songwriting, which transcends beyond verse-chorus blueprints or milking a dull riff for minutes on end; instead, there's a sturdy balance of rhythms and sections which strike both devotedly and hard.

It should be noted that the songs, although substantial enough to justify their existences, are still quite juvenile. I often times thought the group would explode into a speedy beating or totally dip the melodic tenure into a pit of aggression, but that's not really what happens. They mainly just lightly coast in whatever scheme presents itself, and although it's not a problem, it leaves a lot of open space. A little extra spice would not have hurt "Exceptions of the Rebellions." The biggest pitfall of the release is its inability to truly provide something completely dynamic or perplexing, but the EP thankfully gallops through its four chapters with no trouble after addressing my little complaint. While not the best piece of melodic death metal available, "Exceptions of the Rebellions" causes an adequate dent in its scene, but not the nuclear devastation it had the potential to make.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com

I'm pretty picky when it comes to melodic death metal. Sometimes I find the melody too subtle to be melodic death metal, or I just plain feel a lack thereof, and I switch off from listening. Assault, though, provides a great release in their EP with clear and subtle melodies alike, and it is undeniable this EP, The Exceptions of the Rebellions, is a solid and enjoyable offering of melodic death metal.

The production is clear and good, with a well-balanced mix where no instrument overpowers the other, yet each is well-defined. The drums provide a background rhythm, as they should, yet every stroke is perfectly audible. The guitars are crystal-clear and heavy. The bass is somewhat audible at times through careful listening, other times it blends in with the guitars to provide the pulse and wholeness of the sound, and the vocals are nicely audible and decipherable.

With regards to the lyrics, they are well-written and show intelligence, which is more than can be said for some bands that resort to emo-style lyrics, just to create a sense of melancholy. Assault proves that lyrics with depth still exist in melodic death metal, with themes like war and rebellion (hence the album name).

The EP features memorable guitar passages, which is what I enjoy the most in it. Harmonized guitars are abundant here, particularly enjoyable ones would include those in "War on Humanity", in the opening and when the vocals are saying, "War on humanity, conflict with...". Careful listening (or powerful speakers) would allow the bass melody to be heard as well, which is similar to the guitar harmony. Another key feature would be the solos, showcasing the technical proficiency of the guitarist, Hanesh. Particularly well-executed, they are sweet shred passages that do not degenerate into guitar wankery, and all the more they are to be enjoyed. Rhythm playing proves itself to be no worse, with heavy headbang-inducing passages that drive the songs along. Riffs here have nice variety, and some are particularly catchy, like the gallops in Fall of Obscurity. A small acoustic passage is featured in Subversion, a nice lull before the solo kicks in, followed by the vocals.

Bass, as previously mentioned, is audible at some points, most clearly in the opening of Rebellions Retribution, where it starts the song going with its own melodic passage, accompanied only by the drums. Even when the guitars kick in, the bass remains clear and continues, moving from center stage to a supporting role, yet remaining prominent. Other times, like in the intro of War On Humanity, the bass can be heard through careful listening.

The drums are pretty decent, yet not particularly memorable. They provide a good, tight rhythm, and drive the songs along just fine, but passages and fills are not sterling shows of performance. The driving force provided by the drums does not seem very forceful or heavy, which is the main (small) downside of this release. I would have favored a heavier, more pounding output from the drums.

Clarence has done a good job here with the vocals, with relatively high-pitched vocals. The delivery feels consistent and there are some outstanding moments, my personal favorite being the scream heard in Subversion. The vocals are also very clear and decipherable, at many times the lyrics can be known simply by listening to the song without reference to the printed lyrics. In spite of this, the vocals are still satisfactorily harsh, and are the perfect icing in the cake.

Overall, a release that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and will continue to listen to again and again. A well-executed performance that is memorable and I shall eagerly await the band's next release.

Assault celebrates their 5th year of existence this year, marked by the release of their debut studio release, The Exceptions of the Rebellions EP. Having been playing covers for a number of years now, the band finally started displaying their original pieces at recent shows, greatly reducing the number of covers included in their setlist and replacing them with numbers from their debut EP.

Before I start the review proper, perhaps it is best that I declare that I am not particularly a fan of melodic death metal, so pardon my lack of comparisons (or the mismatching comparisons).

Having already heard the band performing renditions of the tracks live before, expectations on the EP were certainly high, and the band does not disappoint. The EP opens with Subversion, with a melodic riff hitting the listener immediately, a declaration of what to expect for the rest of the EP. Songs like War On Humanity certainly sound better live, with the band reeking of energy during live performances yet somehow sounding restrained on the studio version. Assault also displays their versatile songwriting ability. For example, Rebellions Retribution starts off with a short bass solo, before a lead guitar comes into the picture, playing an emotional guitar line, almost like an ode to the fallen in war (or perhaps in this case, the martyr of the rebels), before breaking into the usual energetic music that Assault is known for.

Throughout the EP, vocalist Clarence displays his versatility, at times going from a low growl on Subversion to a high shriek, reminiscent of Arch Enemey's Angela Gossow, such as on Rebellions Retribution. Shred-fests are commonplace in the songs of Assault, and guitarist Hanesh proves his ability, hitting every note with clean precision, and punctuating the otherwise boring sections with pinch harmonics. This could however be slightly disadvantageous in some instances as some of the solos end up being too draggy, losing their entertainment value. He also plays with various effects such as the cleans section on opening track, Subversion, certainly adding to the element of anticipation to the listener. At times when the bass is audible, bassist Syaz displays his prowess through slick bass licks.

Perhaps the only letdown of the EP is the drumming section, handled by ex-drummer Farid. At times it sounds as if he is struggling to keep up with the intensity and energy that is exploding out of the band, and at times unmotivated, such as on War on Humanity. However, for the most part he manages to keep the band in check of their pace and rhythm.

As such, my pick for the EP would be Fall of Obscurity, where the whole band displays their tightness and energy, including at the times when the tempo gets slightly offbeat (perhaps done intentionally by the band), yet the band does not falter and lose their momentum. From the opening lead guitar solo to the slowdown of the tempo in the middle of the song, everything is done right, making this song an enjoyable 4 minute ride with Assault's best material so far.

Many modern melodic death metal bands nowadays choose to incorporate elements of metalcore into their music, and these influences on Assault's music (such as breakdowns) are present, there are fortunately not too many of such instances, making The Exceptions of the Rebellions a good debut effort from the band.

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