First off, this is not -- as was heavily blog-rumored to be -- the awaited, perhaps even expected, second chapter in the Natural Born Chaos legacy that was Soilwork's first deep etching in the death metal book of the damned. It sounds nothing like that record, despite the speculation all over the Internet that it would even be titled Natural Born Chaos II . Secondly, Devin Townsend did not produce this set (though apparently he was the desired first choice); he only produced the vocals because of other commitments. Thirdly ...
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First off, this is not -- as was heavily blog-rumored to be -- the awaited, perhaps even expected, second chapter in the Natural Born Chaos legacy that was Soilwork's first deep etching in the death metal book of the damned. It sounds nothing like that record, despite the speculation all over the Internet that it would even be titled Natural Born Chaos II . Secondly, Devin Townsend did not produce this set (though apparently he was the desired first choice); he only produced the vocals because of other commitments. Thirdly, Peter Wichers left in 2005; he was the architect of the sound on the 2002 classic. Daniel Antonsson recently replaced him, and Ola Frenning wrote most -- if not all -- the guitar parts. Sworn to a Great Divide feels like the natural extension of Soilwork recordings like Stabbing the Drama. That big, nearly orchestral sound dilutes the heaviness that was so inherent to Natural Born Chaos. That said, there is absolutely nothing to complain about on Sworn to a Great Divide -- the melodic hardcore/death metal hybrid is ever-present and as a singer, Björn Strid has never sounded better. When he sings, he really sings; when he growls, he gets downright ugly. Check out "The Pittsburgh Syndrome," one of the heaviest cuts on the set. It clocks in at 2:46, but it simply cranks its guitar riffs against those drums and Strid is high in the mix, sounding almost more like another instrument than a vocalist. But even here, the anthemic chorus, with its killer backing harmony vocals, takes Soilwork beyond most of their Swedish peers. These cats understand that writing riffs is de rigueur , but writing an infectious way of hooking that riff to melody is the thing that attracts rather than repels. The slowly building tension in "Light Discovering Darkness" is like a harder version of the kind of music Katatonia have been making in recent years, but more on the melodic pink metal tip than Pink Floyd. "20 More Miles" digs deeper into the thrashing frenzy of death metal to a certain degree, as does the opening title cut. The 14-song set concludes with "Martyr," a complex composition that alternates textures of guitars and keyboards, pristine echoing vocals, and instrumental sounds with the straight-ahead crash-boom of death metal. If anything, Sworn to a Great Divide warrants repeated listens to get everything out of it, so densely assembled are these songs -- and their production, with all the space and layers, is an added element of morbid seduction. If the listener goes into this disc with no expectations and takes it on its own terms -- instead of as the first cousin or, worse, twin of Natural Born Chaos -- Sworn to a Great Divide will provide great satisfaction. It is well done, carefully executed, and aggressive enough to satisfy fans, while offering some new textures, spaces, and compositional elements to add depth and dimension to an ever-evolving sound. [There is a special edition of this album that includes a bonus DVD. As these things go, it's actually interesting. It features two items. The first one is a mini-documentary called Not Quite Studio; The Devlab (featuring Devin Townsend), and offers a look at the producer's methods, in this case particularly recording and mixing the album's vocals. Also included is a video clip of "Exile." The third installment is far richer; entitled Official Bootleg , it contains a live gig from Pratteln, Switzerland, on the band's most recent tour.] ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
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Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide to cart. $3.94, good condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Nuclear Blast.
Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide (Cd/Dvd) to cart. $3.95, good condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Nuclear Blast.
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Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide to cart. $4.96, good condition, Sold by Goodwill of Orange County rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Ana, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Nuclear Blast.
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Good. This item has very light surface scratches that do not affect the use of the disc/s. This is a USED item. Case and cover may or may not have wear or damage. All items unless otherwise noted will include disc, case, and artwork. Codes have been used. Other contents such as booklets may vary, please inquire for details. All items ship Monday-Friday within 2-3 business days.
Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide to cart. $19.95, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Nuclear Blast.
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Antonsson/Frenning/; Antonsson/Strid; Frenning/Strid; Karlsson/Strid. New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide to cart. $23.25, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Nuclear Blast Americ.
Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide to cart. $28.33, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2007 by NUCLEAR BLAST: 82 3 00000398.
Add this copy of Sworn to a Great Divide-Trans Green to cart. $28.37, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2024.
