Andrew Danso

It’s difficult to not think that The Few Against Many would be little else, without their symphony in backround. Often they’ll play through progressions with the odd keyboard stab thrown in for layering – or some quasi production value argument, the band would immediately bark at you. Needless, and wasteful, the used symphony isn’t an aid to their cause. However, "Sot" being incredibly dull without isn’t far from the truth.

A decent, if not worthy addition to the Scandinavian archives, dismissing "Sot" like it was Arch Enemy’s Doomsday Machine would be extremely harsh and unfair. This will be enjoyed by any Scandinavian fan, or occasional user. Its songwriting has more depth than your average cup of Sweden, and coupled with powerful punchy choruses, help add impact to what is a very normal Scandinavian effort. The symphonic addition to The Few Against Many undermines much of the latter. It adds a panel of tackiness often invoked with Children of Bodom; best described as a plethora of Botox, into a space that hardly needed filling.

Blessed with excellent musicianship, "Sot" is a record that initially feels as solid as Bloodbaths “The Fathomless Mastery”. The symphonic undercurrent left us baffled, questioning its existence over such firm foundations. Why the plastic?

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