Ambitious and awesome - No Gods, No Masters

IF you set out your stall to release a trilogy of EPs under the one named package you are either very arrogant, or supremely self-confident that your songs and song-writing can stand up to scrutiny. Or, could it be that the trilogy concept suits the music output you have ready to unleash.

Thankfully for the Sinocence team this first part of No Gods, No Masters stands up to scrutiny and unleashes five intense songs, riff heavy, metal as the proverbial fuck without descending into clichés; and where melodies sung or played help paint a musical lanscape few would dare to tread.

The palette that Sinocence draw their brushstrokes from is no where clearer than the opener Coda to Self Slaughter, almost seven minutes of time changes and slightly unsettling lyrics - surely a sign that metal, at its best is both a catharsis and a chance to air the distrubing side of human nature.

West of Eden follows suit - this is not easy listening, but its listening that is essential in the pantheon of metal - or to put it another way, it stands head and shoulders above - as does almost all NI output - the twaddle and mediocrity emerging from the UK and US.

This is no unsubstantiated claim - check out the soloing in Occam's Razor, and the song contruction. Complex, yet appropriate; and with the lyrical theme that nails down the only basic fact in life - the truth is complex, but it is the truth. The refrain: "If God is love, love is war, I can't love you any more..." is haunting when it kicks in around seven minutes into the eight minutes of metal perfection.

Let's make no bones about - before the cookie monster invaded metal (and which we also have regard for here!) there was evidence in abundance that vocals did not need to be indistinguishable grunts. Sinocence do not need to indulge in vocal high jinks - clean and down to the point - no fucking around. Long Way down is an example where the tapestry of guitars, rhythm section and chorus punch you in the face.

The 7:37 conclusion - Cruelty In Silence, references previous Sinonce outings, with its pacey mid-sections and low down guitar growls amidst the melody of pain and anguish. A worthy listen!

Sinocence have been through personal tragedy and personal challenges. There is no silence hidden in this track. This is standing up, with the worthy messsage that there are things to fight for, and that it is worth saying what needs to be said, no matter whether there is an audience or not: there will be for this, but nevertheless the important truths need to be spoken.

It is hellish amibitious to release a five-track ep that has a running time as long as many artists mini or full length albums, clocking in at around 32 minutes.

It is also a tempting tease towards vols 2 and 3. We here at metal mansions are drooling in anticipation: Sinocence claim there will be "No Limitations" moving forward...now that is a bold claim, but it is one that should have metal fans ready and primed for the next releases once they have the time and energy to digest Vol 1.

Ambitious so far? Yes. In a word: awesome! ToSinocence, we doff our caps!