The Devil’s Due – Dec 5th- Solium Fatalis “Neuronic Saw” review 9/10 \m/

on December 5, 2016December 5, 2016 By Badger

Today we listen to the third album from the NH based metal band Solium Fatalis titled “Neuronic Saw” and it is one hell of an album, very dark and very heavy. So lets get to it shall we

Solium Fatalis

Neuronic Saw

released November 11, 2016

Jim Gregory – Guitars
Jeff DeMarco – Vocals & Bass
Ryan Beevers – Guitars
Jeff Saltzman-Drums

1) Nuclear Messiah

This song is a quite chilling and visual song giving the title of it, and the classical style of the song. Jim Gregory the mastermind behind Solium Fatalis has done it again. This song is not just another intro track, it’s the bar they just raised. Now you’re going to have to buckle yourself in and get ready for the riffage.

2) Symbiotic Plague

Well this song starts out very cool, solid intro with the guitars and drums playing and building things up and vocals join in before the thirty second mark. I dig the rhythm of this song, it has an impending and sinister feel about it. And I am really digging the drums on this track so far. It is worth mentioning that there is different drummer than on the previous albums, and based on how the drums sound. I am liking Jeff Saltzman behind the set for Solium. This is a cool song, very catchy, and I should mention the guitar solo right around the 3 minute mark. This song has a lot of that blackened melodic death feel to it. I like this track because it has new blood on the drums. Being able to compare this track to the previous albums and seeing how Solium has evolved. This is a great track especially to be coming out of the intro with.

3) Fractured Divinity

This song has a slightly more moderate pace about it, but none the less the track kills it. Vocals remind me of older century media, Earache and Nuclear blast bands. You know what I am talking about, old Arch Enemy, Carcass etc. They have a darker delivery that’s more of a primitive form that is very effective with the imagery of the music really. At three minutes and thirty one seconds this song cuts right through you with ease. Its not a long drawn out tune, they just steamroll right on through. The song is a killer track, it sinks its claws in to you with the guitar solo around the 1:50 mark and keeps you hooked. I mean listen to the guitar solo and tell me you aren’t interested in what Solium has to offer.

4) Myopic

This song has a short fade in before that rhythm takes a hold of you and the 175 bpm gets you locked in for the ride that this song is going to take you on. But damn does it get you moving before the vocals even join in, and I like the cymbal accents Jeff is playing on the ride. The one thing I will say about Solium Fatalis, is they have a “take no prisoners” delivery to the music. I mean take the vocals right at the :47 second mark, no fucks given right there. They don’t hold back anything, ever. And that’s what I like, zero fucks given from these guys. They formulate a song that’s as catchy as it is visual and when listening you find yourself to be lifted to your chill zone because you zone out almost hypnotized from the music. It flows in a way that is very appealing, straight to the point and catchy.

5) Hymn To The Infected

Well if that’s not a kick ass beginning, than I don’t know what would constitute as one. Just shy of thirty seconds and that set up was killer, fucking riff-nado, and a hailstorm of blasting drums. I like this track so far, it’s profoundly dark in tone and delivery. From the album art to the music it’s all pretty dark, and its catchy as hell. Not to mention the guitar solo about halfway through the track really hits the spot. I like when a band throws a guitar solo in the song, Solium Fatalis are good for that. You have a lot of talent in the band, and then to not display what they are really working with would be an injustice to their music and fans. When listening to this song I have to admit, the talent that’s packed into this group is amazing. Its songs like this I get the distinct feeling that Solium Fatalis will become a more familiar name with the release of Neuronic Saw, and anticipate their fan base will continue to grow rapidly if they keep making songs like this one.

6) Retch Atma

This song has more of an old school feel to it, and that beginning is awesome. When listening to this track you will undoubtedly be moving your body somehow, be it tapping your feet nodding your head or just losing it completely and throwing haymakers. This song has a feeling of satisfying your bloodlust. Yea it’s like that, this is like the soundtrack for a criminally insane charismatic cult leader planning on opening the ninth gate. But before you know it the song is over, they packed so much into three minutes and eight seconds that kept you captivated the entire time and when you realize it you are reaching for the back button to listen to it again.

7) Harvested to Necrosis

Alright, so this is the song right here. For Solium Fatalis, they have put out three albums full of solid tracks, but there is always that one track that has just a little more to it. The song has just a little more meat to it. It’s the song that many will deem their favorite, well let us be the ones to say it first. This is our favorite track off the album. After listening to the album in it entirety a handful of times this song is it. This song is the gem that is the one you should listen to first if you are going to formulate your first impression of Solium Fatalis. If you aren’t moving to this song when you have gotten to the one minute mark then you aren’t listening to the same thing I am, this song rips. The 1:53 mark they kick it into high gear with filthy guitar riffs and ravenous blast beats. They made a statement, they came for blood and now you got a taste of it yourself. Do you keep listening to the album or spin this track a few times, we had to listen to this track a few times ourselves because it crushes.

8) The Carrion Feast

They start things off heavy for the first ten seconds and then take it up another level when the vocals come in. This song is a slightly slower tempo again, but for each BPM less they make up for it in the dark angry delivery of the music. And I am really enjoying those backing vocals on this track, this song is going to have to be my number two. There is something very visually detailed about this song, and if that’s what they are going for, then the guitar solo starting at the 2:38 mark seals the deal. You can’t listen to this track and wonder why Solium Fatalis isn’t coming out of the mouths of so many more metal heads out there.

9) Contagion

Cool perpetual guitar riff sets up the blistering blast filled drums and the vocals are right alongside them. This song has a lot of built up animosity. This track is savage as a fucking primitive beast with a thirst for blood and its feeding time. This is another great example of how they do not hold back. This song rips on so many levels, it makes a statement. The ferocity of this track is undeniable, the need to listen to this track also undeniable. The beginning rips right from the get go and then following the drums and the rhythm. They hit us early in the song with a killer guitar solo around the 1:31 mark. This is one of those songs that when you listen to it, it gives you the mean face. You know what I’m talking about. This is an example of mean face right below. Jim gets it, be like Jim and shred some serious metal.

10) Serpent Crown Redux

The final track off of the album, and while we would love to break this one down. You really ought to do that yourself. We have to save this one for you to man an opinionated decision on your own.

This album is brilliant, Solium Fatalis are such an underrated band. The production of this album was stellar, not to mention it had Chris Donaldson of Cryptopsy working on this at his studio The Grid. You don’t go to the grid and get a bad product, you don’t go to the grid if you don’t have something awesome to be recording. I listen to this album and every time I do I find I could sit and just loop tracks over and over. This album gets the job done from tracks like Nuclear Messiah, to contagion, the album has a lot of range, a lot of dark and savage range. But couple that with the talent those guys have is what makes this album a hit. Check this shit out, you won’t be disappointed if you do. 9/10

Check them out on FACEBOOK by clicking here, and don’t be a dick, throw them a like while you’re there.

Head on over to their BANDCAMP page and pick up your copy of NEURONIC SAW

Photo credits belong to : Beyond the Lens of Grace Cook and Pamela Murphy

-Badger \m/

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www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com

My interview with Jim Gregory of Solium Fatalis

on November 24, 2015November 24, 2015 By Badger

I recently had the chance to review Solium Fatalis’s sophomore album, and was pleasantly surprised with not only the lineup, but the songs were great. I wanted to reach out and talk to Jim Gregory guitarist and song writer for Solium Fatalis, and Neuronic Saw. I managed to get him on the phone and talk to him about Solium and find out where they are right now.

So I am on the phone with Jim Gregory from Solium Fatalis, What was your inspiration for the last album “The Undying season”?

Jim-Well mostly my military career, some of it touches on politics and stuff like that but a lot of it had to do with the things I saw while I was deployed in the desert and various places. Real life shit.

So that album got released about 9 months ago, are there still any physical copies left.

Jim-Yea actually there are about fifty out of the five hundred that we pressed. I still have more of the first album.

So you have both of them up on Bandcamp, has that been a great resource for you to be selling the albums in digital format?

Jim-So we have a full outlets, we don’t actually sell a lot on bandcamp, I don’t really even know why. I know other bands sell on bandcamp and it works out very well, but we haven’t had a lot of success. It’s being sold on our website, Amazon, iTunes, Google play, CD baby and the record label site. I mean you can go on your Xbox and get it.

So who does the writing for the albums?

Jim-I do all of it, the thing is I write all the songs by myself, and I have already written a few songs for this new album. I wrote 20 songs for the last album. And don’t get me wrong, I can go to Oli or Flo and get their input but for the most part I do all the writing.

So for the most part it sounds like the melody and rhythm are there, and you can go to Flo or Oli and get their opinion.

Jim- Yeah, I mean we know where Flo comes from but Oli was also in Neuraxis, and they were a killer band. Underrated in my opinion but a great metal band.

How did you end up getting involved with Jeff on vocals?

Jim-So I will do my best to give you the short version of the story, haha I’m not great with brevity. I could talk metal with you all night

Hahaha and we have,

Jim-Yea I could totally bullshit with you and talk metal for hours, you’re a cool dude and I love the website and your format for reviews. So I had four vocalists for the first album, and I had them all from one point to another and they would not get back to me, or stop talking. But Jeff would come in to the studio, because he and Ehren have been friends since I think they were kids so I said I think my vocalist is going to quit and I think I might need to ask you to do it. And he said ok I’ll do it. So when we did the second album, I knew exactly how he was going to sound, and what I had to work with, and I knew Flo and Oli can really do whatever they want. These guys could do this stuff in their sleep ha-ha so that’s why Seasons comes off far more focused.

So it was the right place and the right time

Jim-Yea he is a wicked cool guy all the guys are great, they don’t have any egos, they are really cool and great

So you are working on new material, are we going to see the same line up as on The Undying Season?

Jim-Yea totally they are all doing it, ha-ha I just talked to Oli the other day and he asked if he was slated to be doing the 3^rd album and I was like uh yea dude. You know I am a fan of this music, and I hate seeing lineup change. So yea we are going to stick with the original line up, well the lineup for the second album. The first was based on necessity, and then the second basically came together. Especially when I was at the grid and Christian Donaldson said” hey would you like to use Flo?” and I was like uhhh yea!” and I asked about bass players, and Chris said “well you can use Forest from Beyond Creation, or you can use Oli” and I felt Forest is a great player, but I just dint think he would fit perfectly, and Oli was a fan of extreme metal so I felt he was the one.

So you are working on new material,

Jim-We have three songs written so far, I wrote a new song every one to two days

So the rumor is that this is going to be a concept album, is this is true that you are doing a tribute album to the proclaimers?

Jim-Hahahahaha WTF, hahahahahahahaha no, I mean yea it is a concept album, I have eleven tracks slated, and I do have a working title, but it is about mankind. It’s not going to be like the first and second album, I mean you will hear it and know its Solium Fatalis. So when I came up with the concept of the third album, I wanted to tell a story. I think empires die, you know I think somebody could hit the big red button and blow the whole world population up, wiped out. The world will continue, but it won’t be the world that you and I know. A lot of this is based on the world that I have seen, and being in a combat zone, and what people are really like as humans.

So is there anything you want the people to know about the undying season, or the new material

Jim-Well when it comes to The Undying Season, there is more to it than you realize, but the new music is going to be conceptual, complex esoteric, poetic, artistic and heavy!

So there you have it, Solium Fatalis is working on new material, and the line up will be the same. For those of you who don’t know much about this band let me give you the run down.

Jim Gregory is an experienced guitar player, who has served in the U.S armed forces, and loves metal.
Ehren Hill is the other guitarist for Solium Fatalis. He comes from Excrecor where he plays guitars and keyboards, and he runs things over at Iron Hill studios in New Hampshire.

Jeff Demarco does the vocals for Solium as well as for Excrecor.

Flo Mounier is a (legendary) name you should be familiar with, he is an original member of a pioneering extreme/technical metal band Cryptopsy, he has been blowing peoples minds with his percussion skills for the past twenty years, and has been in various other projects including Digital Doomzday.

Olivier Pinard is the bassist for a few metal bands including Cryptopsy, he has played with Neuraxis, and Akurion.

SO when you look at that line up its a no brainer that Solium Fatalis is a band you should familiarize yourself with.

To give you a taste of what each member brings to the table here are videos of each member in action.

Jeff- Vocals

Ehren- Guitars

Oli- BAss

Flo-Drums

Jim- Guitars

Check them out on FACEBOOK

Follow them on TWITTER

get both albums on Bandcamp

and don’t forget to go over to http://galyrecords.bigcartel.com/ and get some merch \m/

-Badger \m/
http://www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com