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The Classic Struggle

Feel Like Hell

Written by: PP on 07/05/2006 07:59:54

The Classic Struggle is the newest American metal band trying to break through to the overcrowded scene with their debut album "Feel Like Hell". Hailing from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the band has previously toured with as varied bands as Every Time I Die, Escape Grace, Unearth, Soilent Green, and Lamb of God.

The album consists of fast blast beats and intense drumming, the occasional twin-guitar harmony in the midst of the thrash riff mess, and both screamed and growled vocals. Especially one of the tracks uses the alternate growled/screamed lines, as if to make fun of the emo clean/scream dynamics. But this leads me to the main problem with "Feel Like Hell": All of the tracks are too much alike, and it's difficult to distinguish one from another (I couldn't find the alternating track again). Each of them are equally brutal, include breakdowns and incredibly fast thrash riffing, and some semi-beautiful twin-guitar parts, but they just aren't that different from each other. Once you've heard "Death March" and "Unsacred" you've heard them all. There's no doubt about the bands technical proficiency, because the lead riffs are often ear-pleasing, but sometimes that just isn't enough to give an album a good grade.

If you're into the American metal mixed with the Swedish twin-guitars and thrash riffs over intense screaming and growling, then you should at least check this out. But it's unlikely that "Feel Like Hell" will change anyone else's mind about American metal. It's no "Ashes Of The Wake".

Download: Unsacred, Burn The Fallen
For the fans of: Lamb Of God, Fragments Of Unbecoming
Listen: 3 MP3's @ Myspace

Release date 08.05.2006
Ironclad Recordings
Provided by Target ApS