FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On November 14, 2006, Technical Death Metallers, The Faceless released their debut full-length studio album Akeldama via Sumerian Records.
The title of the album is Aramaic for Field of Blood. It was produced by Michael Keene.
Background:
The band was formed in Encino by guitarist Michael Keene and bassist Brandon Giffin in 2004. In the winter of 2005, the band began work on a four-song extended-play album which would become Akeldama. After recording the drum tracks, drummer Brett Batdorf left the band. After a break in the recording process, the band decided to make the EP into a full–length record and recruited several drummers to finish the drum tracks for the remaining songs.
Akeldama is the only album by The Faceless to incorporate a Deathcore sound and style. Breakdowns and Metalcore riffs are frequent on the release. The band abandoned their Deathcore sound after this album.
Following the release of Akeldama, the band toured extensively with bands including Necrophagist, Decapitated, Nile, and The Black Dahlia Murder. The band went through several fill-in drummers before adding drummer Lyle Cooper to their line-up.
Critical Reception:
A review by an unknown author for Metal Injection stated;
“For some reason, the YouTube test of guitar proficiency these days is how well one can play Necrophagist songs. Well, The Faceless would wipe the floor with all those schmoes. From death growls to sweep picking to neoclassical riffs to harmonized diminished runs to those cute little pregnant pauses, The Faceless have the Necrophagist sound down so well, I don't know whether to award or dock points for that.
But though one suspects The Faceless formed as a Necrophagist cover band (an admittedly ridiculous concept), the Encino, CA group is more than that. Once one gets past the Necrophagist-isms on its debut album, Akeldama, one hears quirks that Suiçmez and co. would never do.
First, there are keyboards. Usually Metal bands use keyboards to play cheesy goth chords that only cloud up the mix. However, the keyboards here are tasteful, providing accents, countermelodies, and the occasional Black Metal touch a la Glass Casket.
Also interesting is the fact that some riffs are slightly Swedish. They don't reach the all-out At The Gates homage that's rampant today, but the influence is evident. Another cool touch is the clean singing in Pestilence, which has nothing to do with good cop/bad cop business, but instead recalls the grand yet creepy singing Mike Patton sometimes unleashed in Faith No More.
By far, the highlight is the title track, an Atheist-meets-Steve Vai jazz fusion jam that's heavy, deep, and futuristic. It even has Cynic-esque robotic vocoder parts. If The Faceless keep pursuing this direction, they'll become Death Metal gods. This song, folks, is the future of Metal.
There's a reason why The Faceless are touring with Necrophagist after only their first album. Not only can these guys shame your guitar teachers six ways to Sunday, their playing is tighter than an ant's asshole, and their songwriting is damn near perfect. These songs have absolutely no flab. Solos drop in and out with maximal impact and efficiency. The drummer knows exactly when to switch beats under riffs, and his fills are jaw-dropping. In fact, pretty much the whole album is jaw-dropping. When a band can make even clean tones sound shredding, as they do on Ghost of a Stranger, they're onto something.
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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