Centaurus-A - Side Effects Expected
Centaurus-A combines everything you love from metal: fast drum beats, guitars shredding with surgical precision, and lyrics growled from a rabi wolf trapped in hell. At first listen, the album comes off as solid, well defined and a safe venture into the world of metal. To TRULY understand that this album takes risks requires a second (or first, depending on how you approach listening to music) close listen.
The album combines not just what makes metal metal, but also brings in slow beat breakdowns, momentary ethereal solace from the punishing sonic assault. Harmony is no stranger in this album, but you have to really pay attention as it is integrated seemlessly into the whole package, as opposed to just being a cutsie add in to draw in a broader listening group. This album is unmistakenly metal and nothing else.
We would expect nothing but such punishing brutality from a bunch of german metlheads. What comes as the unexpected surprise is the variability this album offers to the world of death metal/precision metal.Such conformity never sounded so nonconformist. I dare you to chose a favorite song. You can't do it. Now, chosing a favorite album? That is much easier. "Side Effects Expected" is a logical choice.
Rating System
Thrash Magazine's overall rating system is based on the following criteria. Centaurus-A received a 8.9 because of the following:
Instrumental Rating (1-30): 27
Vocal Rating (1-30): 27
Lyrical Rating (1-25): 21
Presentation Rating (1-15): 14