Visionary Control

...have spread from shore to shore. That must be the reason. Otherwise Sworn should’ve been signed long ago. When seeking a label they were told that there was no red line to the music. Ha! So this Danish act paid the time and the money it took to independently record, mix and distribute one of the top ten albums this year. It took three months in the Quang studios to get the package together, but I’m glad that they invested what they did. This is nothing short of excellent. Admittedly, they play their instruments better than they write songs – but it is creative enough as it is.

Sworn is a band with members having reached musical maturity early, they don’t make the usual first-time mistakes. There are long songs – yes, but the interest is maintained by skilled rhythm and tempo changes, just like on Hollenthon albums. The music moves around, this is partly heavy, partly power, sometimes thrashy, and sometimes outright progressive. All instruments follow, guitars influenced by Dream Theater in one moment, to have a Soilwork sound in the next. This is all very nice, as the band actually succeeds in doing it.

Sadly the band’s biggest asset, vocalist Anders Vyberg has announced his leave from the band. He seems to be able to do virtually anything with his voice, there are times when sings out, just to switch the growl in the very next strophe. Melody, rhythm and skilled playing make this a very memorable release. After hearing this album for the first time, I forgot about it for a week or two, still there were a few strophes that I couldn’t forget, and I couldn’t place them anywhere else. There was “Mesmerized” and “The mind-controlling parasites have spread from shore to shore” from my favourite song on here, Metaphysic Wehrmacht.

Since there can’t be a review without a complaint, I must remark on the keyboards. Those are mostly excellent, but at times they’re just excessive. A weeding session, retaining the keyboards where they add to depth and melody, but not driving it ahead, like in Hollenthon’s music – it wouldn’t hurt at all. The pinging sounds in Fear Spawning Anger could’ve been left out as well. Hollenthon, Hollenthon. Yes, Sworn sound a bit like Hollenthon, but much more melodic – like a harsh power metal Hollenthon. Buy it today, and support this brilliant new band.