WINDS OF PLAGUE

Southern California's WINDS OF PLAGUE are kind of the quintessential new school metalcore act with styles ranging from traditional hardcore to death metal with classy solos, and keyboards as one of the central elements. You'll hear the BLEEDING THROUGH comparison until you're nauseous and it is not off base, although WINDS OF PLAGUE does a little more style mixing and offers more heaviness. A production that is polished to excess, not to mention a lot of member ambition, makes for an album that will probably get the band some attention from the 'core contingent, but doesn't leave much of a lasting impression on this reviewer.

"Decimate the Weak" does have its moments though, the title track in particular notable for its brutal gang shout on the chorus (and an introductory chorus shout that continually reminds me of the opening to the VITAL REMAINS' title track for "Icons of Evil"). The musicality of the players is undeniably strong, even if that does not always translate into songwriting that is anything more than a hodgepodge of 'core cliches. Guitarists Nick Piunno and Nick Eash play off one another exceedingly well and the crystal clear leads and harmonies certainly soar high above the clouds. It is when the band breaks from the blending and incorporates (for example) hardcore shouting about standing up against the disrespectful that the cliché quotient becomes almost unbearably awkward. Then again, that depends on one's point of view and I'm quite sure that fans of this style will eat it up.

"Decimate the Weak" is one of those albums that sounds great (if a little over-produced for my tastes) and features a generally strong mix of melodic playing and over-the-top brutality, but ends up way too tried and not quite true. WINDS OF PLAGUE indeed have a lot to offer and may even dazzle on release number three, but the disc just doesn't do it for me. There are too many positives to call it a bad album (not by any stretch),just not enough to leave me convinced; hence, the better than average rating.