Today is the 37th birthday of Christian Älvestam. What’s that? You don’t recognise the name of the vocalist of more than a dozen metal bands? Who’s done guest vocal spots for everyone from Bloodbath to Demon Hunter? The former frontman of Scar Symmetry? No? Well, in that case, this week’s Sunday Spotify Slaylist is going to be something of an education for you.
Earlier this week, the folks over in charge of Tech-Fest 2013 made their first line-up announcement – and they weren’t messing about. 25 bands, including all three major headline acts, were all covered in the first batch of names. That’s the kind of festival announcement we can get behind, and the kind that we’re making the subject of this week’s Sunday Spotify Slaylist.
Scar Symmetry
The Unseen Empire
Nuclear Blast
15 April 2011
by Tom Dare
Draw a line in the sand right here – The Unseen Empire marks the point at which Lars Palmqvist and Robert Karlsson step out from the not inconsiderable shadow of Christian Älvestam and take full, authoritative ownership of their roles in Scar Symmetry. If anything, the interplay between the impassioned, emotive but ballsy clean singing and the death growls is even more effective than the (admittedly brilliant) sole singer.
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