Album Details

• Artist: The Faceless
• Album: Planetary Duality
• Label: Sumerian
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2009-04-01

The Faceless' past effort was given high marks here with their debut release, so it won't be a surprised to the already-initiated to find similar praise here. I was easily subdued in my hopes for an enjoyable album in Planetary Duality by reading a couple of other reviews across the net which were quite literally dripping with ass-kissing criticism. Almost as if friends of the band themselves wrote them. Then I spent a night listening only to this album, as after the first listen I couldn't stop diving back in. In short, Planetary Duality is the kind of album you buy and wear out from constant use. It's damn near perfect, and here's why:

First and foremost, the almighty riff that every good metal band most learn to not only utilize, but customize to their own brand of it. The Faceless have somehow forged a bridge between technical death metal, NWOBHM-esque melodies and hardcore/black metal buzzsawing that sounds like a history lesson within any particular lead or passage. Credit undending to the duo of Michael Keene "Machine" and Steve Jones, instantly considered two of today's most dominant axemen in my eyes. Prime examples lie in the progressive tilt of "Coldly Calculated Design", the bent-back breakdowns of "XenoChrist" and the serpent-like shifting "Planetary Duality II (A Prophecies Fruition)".Secondly, the vocals, a satisfying mix of competent death-metal grunts and growls alongside melodic, classic-metal belting that is so well done that I am not entirely sure it can all be accredited to the one listed vocalist, "Demon Carcass". Also props for uber-creepy vocal effects used on tracks like opener "Prison Born". The rhythm section is the concrete that the metallic skyscraper is built upon, and between Brandon Giffin's frantic, spastic, technically sound bass lines and Lyle Cooper's ability to hold it all together with his kit-work, you've just got more to love. And what really sets it all apart from the rest, beyond the monumental songwriting skills and technical performance levels, is the variation from song to song; piano, melodic interludes, and even some samples (one of which is lifted from an old radio program dealing with the supernatural, which Tool fans will recognize instantly from the Lateralus closing track "Faaip De Oaid"). 

No bad songs, only great ones. Memorable ones that will leave an impression on any metal fan, so far as I can tell. I have been somewhat falling away from metal's more extreme heights, but Planetary Duality has seen me climbing back up for a better view. This is an album that I cannot recommend enough to anyone who loves it extreme but also needs it done right. Not your run-of-the-mill sound, and it's no wonder to me now that those reviews I read sounded so damn upbeat. And it's also not a surprise to me now to discover the album broke the Billboard Top 200 upon it's release. It's one of the rare deserved cases of success, and that alone deems it worthy of ownership by metalheads world-wide. 

User Reviews and Comments

on 2009-04-02 dscanland Said:

Kev, Planet Duality was my first foray into the Faceless territory. It came highly recommended. But I didn't like it.
Not Rated

on 2009-04-02 SolitaryMan Said:

I've been on the fence with them as well of late, dude. It's nothing to fret about; but it does tend to ruin otherwise satisfactory music, doesn't it? I didn't find that to be the case here, because they do spend some time trying to vary the vocal approach. If I had to pick a flaw in the album, though, it would be that they depend too much on the fabled "cookie monster" stuff.
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-04-02 X_NaStY Said:

Ugh, I really just cannot get into anything with these "death-metal grunts" you speak of. It completely turns me off of a song, which is too bad because the instrumental work is stellar. I'd almost rather there be no vocals at all, since I pretty much do my best to ignore the grunts anyway. My musical tastes have been prone to change however, so maybe this kind of metal will have its day in my book at some point.
Not Rated

on 2009-04-02 SolitaryMan Said:

First two tracks of their myspace are songs from Planetary Duality.
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-04-02 Sinist3r Punk Said:

anyone know where i can get a preview of this album?
Not Rated

on 2009-04-02 SolitaryMan Said:

Really? Wow. Did you care for their earlier album at all? I still haven't heard it...
Rating: 9/10

on 2009-04-01 dscanland Said:

Ha, I'm glad you liked this one. I could not get into Planetary Duality at all. I don't know what it was.
Not Rated