Review by Saxy S for Rise to Fall - Restore the Balance (2010)

If you can overcome the opening track, "Redrum" then you might find some enjoyment out of the debut album from the Spanish melodeath/melocore band Rise to Fall. The opening track features some really poor production where the kick drum is overpowering the guitar riffing and the synth lines sound out of sync with the remainder of the ensemble. "Unknown Presence" attempts to rectify some of this by removing the synth lines and they only reappear sparingly throughout the remainder of the project. And while the bass drum is mixed very uneven, at least Rise to Fall have the decency to not bombard the listener with endless double kick for every second of the forty minute runtime.

I do not mind the vocal stylings of Alain here; something about the gurgled timbre does sound ridiculous through the first two songs, but after a while I found it more entertaining. I think a major reason for this has to do with a lot of heavier bands that use harsh screaming have similar vocal timbres, especially in the world of melodic death metal. I also enjoy the composition of tunes on Restore the Balance. But, like with Hiraes a couple of months ago, Rise of Fall are indebted to In Flames... perhaps a little too much. 

Now I'm willing to give Restore the Balance a pass since it is a debut album; after all, trying to be completely new right out of the gate is a surefire way to kill momentum before you've even started. But later Rise to Fall albums show that being like In Flames was the main goal from the start. As a result, this is a group that has some decent pieces, but cannot get over the original hump.

Best Songs: Rise From Drama, Infected Wounds, Chasing Infinity