Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Plastic Earth
Title
S.E.A.M-01
Type
LP/EP
Company
World Chaos
YOR
2005
Style
Metalcore/Hardcore
5/5/2005 - Review by: Eric Compton
Plastic Earth - S.E.A.M-01 - 2005 - World Chaos Production

Track Listing
1. Silent Field
2. Thousand Me
3. S.E.A.M-01
4. Remember Pain
5. Sleep
6. Standing On Sky
7. Nothing Not
8. Just You Want Be The Moon
It really has hit home just how far this Gothenburg melodic death metal scene has reached. Last year I wrote an article for our Tales From The Jugular series about the genre and it's various roots. At one point the scene was limited to just Sweden. Now it has reached the US, Canada, Norway, Finland, Germany, and now Japan of all places. The land of the rising sun has found a front runner for their particular place holder on the melodic death metal chart. Plastic Earth has emerged from the pack to deliver a mammoth good time with "S.E.A.M.-01", a Soilwork inspired album that seems to have all of the main ingredients needed to compete in this cut throat industry we call heavy metal.

Plastic Earth started in the late 90s with members f'rom Bindweed. In 2002 the band changed their name officially to Plastic Earth and signed a contract with World Chaos Production, who have recently claimed some fame with the Jap thrashers Fastkill. "S.E.A.M.-01" is really a brilliant record if you only look at entertainment value. Of course it isn't the most original album in the world, with the record at times recalling Soilwork a little too much. All of the traditional elements are here, the building melody, the aggressive screams, and the blinding pace. Does Plastic Earth really do anything different? No, but they are damn entertaining nonetheless, which is really what it all comes down to in the end. Can this band entertain? I think they can.

With one listen to vocalist Sado you will immediately notice the comparison to Soilwork's Speed. The man has all of the same trademarks, carrying that deathy tone to his vocals in much the same way as Mr. Speed. Musically Plastic Earth could be situated between Soilwork and Dark Tranquility. The band never just come off as a complete rip-off, unlike Throne Of Chaos and their obvious influence in Children Of Bodom. No, this is a really good effort to just do the same style, but of course try to make it their own. This album has some really solid cuts, including the storming opener "Silent Field" that kicks off like an Amorphis album, with either a real moog or simply a keyboard effect leading into some fast downtuned groove riffing. With the chorus part some clean vocals slip in, really helping to seperate the aggression and melody. "Thousand Me" moves as a rather moody piece, really falling onto a trance like keyboard sound to build mood and character. The band rocks in with some 80s styled riffs that seem to be very basic in nature, but it just really works well here. Sometimes it is all about the little basic things that really help associate the album with the listener. More clean vocals appear throughout this cut. The title track is just bombastic, showing off some good lead work from Yuki. Oddly enough the fastest number on the album is called "Sleep", a quick racer that fits more of a Dark Tranquility style. Of note is the band's use of a drum machine, which isn't terribly noticable.

A solid effort and something completely different than the usual Loudness/Anthem worship coming out of Japan.


--EC 04.30.05
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    N/A :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: PLASTIC EARTH
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
S.E.A.M-01
2005
World Chaos
Eric Compton5/5/2005
-

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