Scarpoint
The Silence We Deserve

June 2008
Released: 2007, Blind Prophecy Records
Rating: 1.5/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Another day, another metalcore album. That was my initial feeling upon listening to the first few songs on this, Scarpoint’s debut album. These Swedish lads have been plugging around the underground for eight years now, finally releasing their first album on upstart Blind Prophecy Records (also see review for Pain Principle this month). They even managed to get the prolific Daniel Bergstrand to produce this disc.

Sadly, all it amounts to is just another metalcore album...or so I thought. In fact, it’s much worse than that. You’ll notice that in the preceding paragraph I mentioned the first few songs sounding like typical metalcore – this is true. However, as I listened to the album, something was bugging me and I couldn’t quite figure it out. I mean sure, it’s kinda dull, but there are a few good riffs here and there (the opening riff of the title track for instance). Still, something sounded off. Finally it hit me – vocalist Henrick Englund is rapping! Actually fucking rapping! Yes, he’s doing it in a pseudo-death growl, but he is rapping just the same. WTF? Once I realized this I started listening closer to the music and sure enough, the riffs are EXACTLY like what you may have heard on a 1990’s mallcore album, right down to the breakdowns. Oh, the band may have hidden it behind the occasional melo-death riff but this is definitely mallcore.

So kudos to you Scarpoint, you managed to fool me for awhile, but I’m on to your wily games now. Unfortunately for you, this means that I’ll be turning off this album and listening to something else.