Techno Techno Techno
It wasn't so long ago that my Room Thirteen counterpart Terry Broadhurst reviewed Blood Stain Child's previous album, 'Idolator', on this very site (24th April 2007). I had to admit that it was a pretty tasty album for those metal fans whose appetite for In Flames style Gothenburg melodic death metal is vast and ravenous. According to other sources 'Idolator' was originally released in 2005, which, makes the timing of 'Mozaiq' a little more understandable. The shpeel on the back of the cover states this is the band's sophomore effort (If there's one word that grates the back of my teeth then it's 'sophomore'), which it is if you discount 'Silence of Northern Hell' and 'Mystic Your Heart'. So what's new with 'Mozaiq?' have Blood Stain Child progressed their sound and stretched their creative minds?
'Mozaiq' is as original as cheese on toast and too be honest there's little difference between this album and 'Idolator' or in fact any album by In Flames. 'If it isn't broken, why fix it?' springs to mind with this release. I acknowledge that Blood Stain Child use slightly more in the way of keyboards and electronics but strip that away and you'd think this is a Scandinavian band jumping on the bandwagon. Because the band hail from Japan it seems to give them a license to copy the Gothenburg scene and get away with, however, this will only get you so far.
In all truth I could just cut and paste Terry's review into this one just like Blood Stain Child have done with their music. But for all my moaning on the subject of style, genres and bandwagons I can't get away from the fact that Blood Stain Child chock out great examples of the aforementioned scene. Yes, they do sound like In Flames, but they do it so well that you can't help liking them. 'Cyber Green' is catchy thrash-a-thon that would sit well at any time on the Scuzz Channel, 'Freedom' is a well conceived slower number that contains a good solo and 'Pitch Black Room' simply impresses with it's wall of melodic electronic noise (And it makes you drive far too fast).
However, by 'C.E.0079' the ideas are beginning to repeat and you realise that not only are Blood Stain Child cutting and pasting their style of music, they are also cutting and pasting their own ideas. The songs are basically the same, the only thing that sets them apart is the type of keyboard quirks they have washing over the top of the thrashing. When the album reaches 'Peacemaker' the quality really takes a dip, so much of a dip that it drops headlong into a big pile of dog shit. It's basically rave music with tinny guitars underneath and for me it's a crossover too far. If I want to listen to this sort of drivel I'd put my best shirt on, go into town, get pissed and go to a club. 'Neo-Gothic-Romance' suffers from the same shitty idea, however, the band probably think it's big and clever claiming their music is influenced by many different styles. Think of it as In Flames playing a gig in the middle of the Ministry of Sound.
This may appeal to many metal fans looking for something fucked up, but for those who like their metal without all the pissing about then it's best to avoid this release. The first half of 'Mozaiq' is quite dandy indeed but once the keyboards take over towards the end the album is about as appealing as sticking one's head in box of soiled nappies.