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Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews

Soil

Restoration

Review by Gary Hill

This album from nu-metal band Soil is solid from start to finish. There is a good mix of sounds, yet everything fits together nicely. I hear a lot of alternative rock in the mix, along with plenty of Guns N' Roses styled hard rock. It's all delivered with a lot of style and class.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2024  Volume 2 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2024.

Track by Track Review
Breaking Me Down
High energy, this has a driving, rubbery bass sound. It's a little bit rock and roll, along with some Gothic rock and plenty of metal. There is a real mean sound to it.
Way Gone
This comes in heavy and energized. It drops to a mellower, more stripped back arrangement for the entrance of the vocals. There is a blues rock angle to this, but it fires back out into fiercer, more metallic jamming from there. This gets pretty intense before it's over.
Redefine
Alternative rock, raunch and roll and metal all merge on this groove. It's another killer tune that doesn't let up on the intensity. I'm reminded a little of Guns N' Roses at times.
Halo
I really love this song. It's not a huge change, but just seems to work so well. It has a great groove and really rocks with metallic rage energy.
The Lesser Man
While this song is not a ballad, it does have balladic movements and more rocking ones GnR is again a good reference point. There is a lot of alternative rock in the mix, too.
Wide Open
Frantic, heavy and intense, this is a powerhouse. Again, it's not a huge change, but it's just an escalation, and it works particularly well.
Unreal

Alternative rock and metal are merged here. This is another that doesn't reinvent anything but just works well.

Pride

More percussive, this is also fierce and really rocking. I can make out more of that GnR thing at times here.

Shine On
Coming in heavy, but a little restrained, this explodes out into more powerhouse jamming further down the road.
The One
Driving, fierce and so cool, this song is one of my favorites here. It's another where the whole concept is intact, but they just really elevate it to new levels.
Deny Me
Another fierce and heavy stomper, This is all class. It's literally screaming hot. In fact, I think this is the best thing here. They manage to include an almost psychedelic drop down section. I can't imagine a better closer than this. It's the most grinding metal thing on the disc. Yet, it has all the trademarks we've heard throughout. That psychedelia returns at the end to close it out.
 
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