A Significant Step Forward - A Review of The Halo Effect's March of the Unheard

The Halo Effect's debut record Days of the Lost had been a bitter disappointment in my humble opinion due to saccharine pop music influences, repetitive hoarse vocals and inoffensively mild guitar work. The group's sophomore output March of the Unheard is however a significant step forward. While it might not be an excellent melodic death metal record, it manages to recapture the genre's convincing trademarks such as emotional clean and harsh vocals, aggressive guitar riffs and a powerful rhythm section.

Highlights on this output include catchy, consistent and energetic "Detonate" recalling Swedish melodic death metal releases from the late nineties, excellent single choice "Cruel Perception" that convinces with drive, focus and melody as well as empathic, heartfelt and sincere power ballad "Between Directions". The band has also included two instrumental tunes that aren't too complex regarding the musicianship but make the final result easier to digest and certainly add to the record's flow. Another noteworthy element is that the physical release of this record includes three additional singles that were released two years and one year ago. They blend in very well in terms of style, quality and production and certainly rate this album up.

The problem with including fifteen songs with a total running time of fifty-four minutes is that The Halo Effect's March of the Unheard features a few fillers here and there. The song structures become somewhat repetitive, the vocals sound a little bit less variable and the guitar melodies fail to sound distinctive. This is for instance the case of the unimpressive opening tune "Conspire to Deceive" or average title track "March of the Unheard" that is already over before it's going anywhere and leaving an impression of any kind.

Still, The Halo Effect's March of the Unheard is a surprising improvement over the disappointing debut album. The Swedish quintet reduces pop music stereotypes and instead focuses on diversified guitar work, the melodic death metal spirit of the late nineties and notably variable vocals. Fans of the releases by genre icons such as Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Hypocrisy, In Flames and Soilwork from the late nineties and early years of the millennium should most certainly check this album out.