The Unguided – Fragile Immortality (2014)

Formed by three ex-members of Sonic Syndicate, The Unguided takes some elements from said band and delivers a high-octane release filled with melodic riffs and excellent vocal melodies. The Sjunnesson brothers (Rich and Roger) lead this band with their superb songwriting skills and eye for catchiness. Delivering 11 explosive tracks, “Fragile Immortality” is one of the first standout releases of 2014.

Opening with the bombastic synths of “Inception”, the band sets a very dynamic and futuristic tone with the first song. The approach of growls/clean lead vocals is very similar to bands like Solution .45 and Scar Symmetry, allowing the music to be quite expansive and engaging. Richard Sjunnesson handles the harsh vocals and sounds like a ‘heavier’ version of Alexi from Children of Bodom. The clean leads are quite intoxicating, provided by Roland Johansson, and they leave other vocalists way behind on the awesomeness curve.

The band’s knack of mixing epic vocal arrangements with crazy electronic synths gives them a very fresh and enjoyable sound with great range, as we can see in instant hits like “Granted”, “Eye of the Thylacine”, and “Unguided Entity”. Featuring a heavier sound that bands like Tiamat and Paradise Lost, The Unguided keeps things real with their doses of growls and powerful riffs thrown into the mix. Other very epic tracks like “Enforce” and “Singularity” are quite effective while changing the mood of the release.

By taking advantage of a very experienced set of musicians (Roland Johansson, Henric Carlsson and Richard Schill) the band develops and maintains an unrivaled intensity/melody combination. Epic vocal arrangements like on “Defector DCXVI” and throught the release gives them that Scar Symmetry vibe but with edgier electronic synths that makes The Unguided quite unique. If you like melodic Death Metal similar to Solution .45 and Scar Symmetry with some intense electronics tossed in like Sybreed and similar outfits, look no further and get a copy of this excellent release.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: January 31st, 2014

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country: Sweden