CD Album Review - The Sailors on A Sinking Boat

As a fans of local music, especially local heavy metal music, 2017 has been a stroking year for me, since there are three bands released their brand album this year, after serval years of precipitation. Maniac is one them.

Maniac, a metalcore band come from Hong Kong, established in 2004, just released their second album called "The Sailors on A Sinking Boat". It's been 7 years since they release their first album.

I was there when they held the album release show, it was stunning and unforgettable, all performances were on point, and most importantly is that, i really felt the song through the show. But when you take the CD back home and listen it, it would bring a different feeling.

The most special place of this record , that is, they really create the album by their own, from the music creation, art direction personally, so "The Sailors on A Sinking Boat" is not just a simple music record, but also can be regarded as some a documentary of Maniac.

The Songs are playing the documentary

The style of these song is a big difference compare to the last album, more mature and solid would be feel by audience. “Barely Hear an Answer” rise the sound wall slowly, constructing not a stunning rock screen, but also mournful mood to the audience. Whilst mixing both Chinese and English lyrics into song could they present their thought and story more directly. The drummer did an amazing job in the second song “Formless Phaseless”, while creating some savage rhythm, performing the accurate technique, does make audience no way to not focus on the song. Whilst tried use less screaming in the song, does bring out some different feeling compared to before. “The hate of men will pass, and dictators die.” A sentence of speech from Charlie Chaplin was used as the start of “Not Human At All”, follow with some super heavy grooves and rhythm, yet not only heavy metal in the song, but also other style and element were put in it, making crossover of a new way of heavy metal.

Coming into the middle part of the record it talks more about “Love”. “Black Towards to White” uses some very heavy but slow grooves to present the message of missing family and beloved. “The More Care is Taken of Them, The More Does Their Fondness Disappear” is one of the most well-known song in the record. The song documented their first time of trying new creation 7 years ago. With a little bit of recomposment and brand new recording, the song feels more solid and appealing.

The later part of the album interpret how they change through the years thoroughly. “One Three” is a total different song compare to the last few songs, while there are no screaming, no distortion effect on the guitar, but illusory composement and rich level of melody, which is a huge impact in the record. The 7 minute-finishing touch-theme song "The Sailors on A Sinking Boat" was set to be a full stop of the record. The song is leading the audience boarding the sinking boat of Maniac and lead them to experience the stormy-sea-ish scene. The song carry a very rich arrangement from electronic music, heavy metal, metalcore, to just piano solo, which is a perfect storytelling.

You would say 7 years for a record is a little bit too long, but for me 7 years of hard working to create such a highest grade is more than worth. They finished this mission perfectly.