Metalcatto
For some reason that goes beyond my comprehension, Sylosis doesn’t get the love it deserves from us—the media, the critics, the tastemakers. It’s baffling. So I’m here to try to make amends. Let’s go. Enough sleeping on greatness. It’s time to give credit where it’s long overdue.
7. Dormant Heart: Let’s get something out of the way—Sylosis doesn’t have bad albums. The reason Dormant Heart lands at the bottom is simply that I never feel like returning to it often. It’s written well, the riffs are sharp, and the choruses are spectacular as always. But it’s long, and the tracks work less as a cohesive unit. They feel more like a bunch of great songs that happen to be placed one after another rather than a journey. Still, a lesser Sylosis album is better than most band’s best work.
6. Cycle of Suffering: Similar to its predecessor, Cycle of Suffering shows that Sylosis can go in different directions while also returning to its roots without breaking a sweat. I can put this on and enjoy the heck out of it, but it does feel like an older album in the catalog—just with less freshness attached to it. I feel like a fool trashing these albums because they still offer better songwriting than 95% of extreme Metal out there. But on the Sylosis scale, something has to sit near the bottom.
5. A Sign of Things to Come: Contrary to what you might believe, I don’t hate this album. In fact, I freaking love it. Yes, it’s Sylosis‘s “radio Rock” trip, but again, all the tracks are written so damn well. This was the album that convinced me that regardless of the style, the minds behind this project could probably make farts sound beautiful. It’s accessible without being dumb, and catchy without selling out. A misunderstood gem.
4. The New Flesh: The easiest way to describe this album would be A Sign of Things to Come but meaner, faster, and better. It’s the same formula taken to a more polished and even precise stage. It has that rawness and aggressiveness from old Sylosis, but also the commercial appeal and sensitivity of the most recent albums. It’s simply bombastic in all the right ways. Every track hits, and the production gives the riffs the weight they deserve.
3. Monolith: This was probably the most difficult of all the albums to rank because it’s an ordeal. Sure, it’s Death and Thrash Metal, but its density, complexity, and most of all its length make it a challenge. The reward, however, is something else entirely. I’d say this was the most Progressive moment for Sylosis. It never crossed that line into excess, but it deeply flirted with it here. Honestly, this album isn’t higher on the list because the closing act is too puzzling even for me.
2. Conclusion of an Age: I’m getting in trouble already because I’m under the impression that this is the people’s favorite. To be fair, almost no band has such a potent debut. Conclusion of an Age is the kind of album that forces you into early retirement as a musician because there’s no way you could ever top something like this. Back then, nobody sounded like Sylosis. This sound was unique, and no other band would come close to copying it successfully. A 5.0/5.0.
1. Edge of the Earth: I’ve got to go with my heart. I feel Edge of the Earth does everything Conclusion of an Age does, but better. The production, the songwriting, the riffs—everything makes my heart pump and my blood boil. From start to finish, regardless of its length, the album is one adrenaline high after another. If the debut had a lot of Metallica energy, here Sylosis moves forward and perfects its own style and identity. Even after all these years, this thing remains one of the pinnacles of Metal songwriting. A masterpiece.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 