January 2023 Featured Album - The Infinite Edition

Happy new year Metal Academy! 2023 is finally upon us and we hope that it will be filled with great new finds in the world of heavy metal music. But before the madness begins, let's take a nostalgia trip back to 2006 and check out Communic's 2nd studio album, Waves of Visual Decay.

https://metal.academy/releases/21301

I found "Waves of Visual Decay" to be an excellent feature release nomination Saxy. I really enjoyed it's well produced & executed brand of mildly techy progressive metal which is built on a wealth of tight & chunky US power metal style riffage. The performances are all very precise, particularly the rhythm section who are as solid as you'll find. The epic vocals are very similar to former Nevermore/Sanctuary front man Warrell Dane (R.I.P.) with his higher register delivery aping Judas Priest's Rob Halford in a very similar way too. The consistent use of layered vocal harmonies does give a lot of the material a pretty samey feel though. The more stripped back tracks (see "Watching It All Disappear" & the title track) are definitely a step down from the heavier material but there are no weak tracks included as Communic are a highly professional metal act. The guitar solos represent somewhat of a missed opportunity though as they're only used sporadically & are fairly uneventful when compared to the prog elite. Does Communic sound exactly like Nevermore? Shit yeah they do but I really like Nevermore so it's not such an issue, especially given that "Waves of Visual Decay" hits very much the same spot as that much missed band & isn't far behind records like "This Godless Endeavour" & "Dead Heart In A Dead World" in terms of quality in all honesty.

4/5

Waves of Visual Decay is one of those slept on albums that may only have been because of it's close release time to Nevermore's The Godless Endeavour. And it's clear to see why; Communic have taken the Nevermore influence and rolled with it on the same emotional level as classic Nevermore albums had. However, I do feel like Communic are closer related to Fates Warning than a Judas Priest or Iron Maiden Daniel. 

As for the record itself, it's exactly what you would expect from a comp to Nevermore. It's a well constructed, well performed progressive metal album that is easy to go down, rather than bashing you over the head with unending guitar solos. The individual tracks go down very smoothly as the more progressive songwriting techniques are complimentary. There are some heavy thrash riffs on "Frozen Asleep in the Park" and "My Bleeding Victim" and compliment the slower, melancholic moments on the title track and the closer "At Dewy Prime" very well. Not all of it works; I was less than impressed by "Fooled by the Serpent", but overall this is a very good album from a band whose influences should surprise no one. They might get in the way for some, but I feel Communic does more than enough to distinguish themselves from Nevermore.

8/10