Serotonal - Monumental Songs of Misery and Hope

Surprisingly Not Awful

Search CackBlabbath

Our Favorite Music Sites

This Is Not A Scene
Leave The Hall
Circle Pit

Serotonal - Monumental Songs of Misery and Hope

They Say :-
Serotonal is a band created by Darren White (ex Anathema, The Blood Divine) Gary Hill and Jon Francis-White. In 2004 they recorded their first few tracks. The promo is suitably entitled, "The End of Everything".

Serotonal where joined in 2007 by bass player Andy Heath, then started there live shows which included shows at the Basinfire Festival and The Noc Plna Hvezd Festival both in the Czech Republic with Death Angel, Queensryche, Nazareth and Paul Di'Anno (ex Maiden) Serotonal also played closer to home throughout 2008 including the Bloodstock Festival in Derbyshire UK.

Serotonal are now joined by drummer Wayne Denny due to departure of long time drummer Simon Monkhouse. One of Wayne's first gigs with Serotonal was the "Schools Out For Summer" Festival with Blaze Bayley summer 2009. The band also recently played the Hellfire Festival at Birmingham NEC along with Anathema, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Fields Of The Nephelim

We Say :-
Serotonal's debut album is an incredible mix of styles and influences, played by excellent musicians and fronted by one of the most versatile singers I have heard. If there is a Goth / Thrash / Prog / Heavy Metal genre, these guys are definitely at it's forefront ;)

The first couple of tracks are impressive 'classic' Megadeth or Testament-esque speed Metal. In these days of hardcore, post hardcore or whatever it is unusual to find a band who travel this now sadly neglected route with such style and panache. If thrash was what this band chose to do they would do it with some style....

BUT... just when you think you have got them sussed Serotonal turn your perceptions on their heads with the next track, 'Unseen'. What we have here is Mission-esque rock and it is a fantastic track disregarding any genre snobbery to combine Goth rock and classic Metal riffs.

The band also venture into Progressive metal territory on the track 'Monumental', with a quiet start building up to a crescendo. This one starts of with a definite Pink Floyd feel, before rocking out like the Floyd never did.

As you listen to this album one of the things that strikes you is that singer Darren White can turn his talents to virtually any genre with equal panache. He can carry off vocal styles ranging from a death metal growl, through Dave Mustaine's snarl and on to the Goth stylings of Wayne Hussy and Carl McCoy or even a Nick Cave-ey vibe.

What we have here is a band that combine influences of Megadeth, The Mission, Pink Floyd and Fields of the Nephilim with huge dollops of their own originality and energy. I am a massive fan of all those bands, and 'Monumental Songs of Misery and Hope' takes these influences and mix them into something new and important.

This is definitely one the best albums I have heard in recent months, and I really can't recommend it highly enough. The innovation, the well written songs, the unique mix of influences and the excellent musicianship.

I love this album, and I'm pretty sure you will to. Serotonal are right at the top of the bands I HAVE to see live.

Go buy it.

Now.

free hit counters