FADEOUT – Keep Me On The Otherside

The sub genre of “Groove Nu Metal”, in present years, is in the state of slowly deteriorating. The Finnish Nu Metal scene along with the French and the American has some remainders of a once flourishing sub genre. The band in question is one of the Finnish remainders.

Fadeout was formed in 2001 in the city of Seinäjoki, Finland playing “Groove Nu Metal” with various Dark and Melodic Metal basics. Since their formation, the band released three demos between the years 2003-2004. In 2006 their first EP was released which is called Behind The Figures. This review will be centered on their latest and new release – Keep Me On The Otherside.

Keep Me On The Otherside provides the darker side of Nu Metal along with melodies and themes taken from real life, like personal issues and human emotions. The major influences that can be inferred from this release are from two major sub genres. The American groups Creed , Deftones , Korn and Staind represent the Nu Metal influence while bands like the late era of the Finnish Dark Heavy Metallers, Sentenced and the Swedish Depressive Doom Metal, Katatonia presents the melodies and the Dark Metal drive.

The production of the EP is pretty good with excellent guitars and a vocals sound that fits the genre and gives it a special effect. The music is simple, melodic and catchy and, in most cases, keeps a shady curtain all over.

Vocalist Marko Pajula kicks in with various pure melodies in several of the choruses that resembles the catchy choruses made by Scott Stapp of Creed and Staind’s depressive frontman Aaron Lewis. Also in the self titled track there is a strong hint of Sentenced’s vocalist Ville Laihiala , especially from the era of their album Crimson and after. The guitarists, Toby Wiio and Ilkka Kivimäki play basic heavy riffs and infusing them with a lot of great groovy touches and some good breaking solos. The one true proof lies in the self titled track and in “Suffocate The Flame”. Bass player and drummer, Jukka Uusitalo and Jussi Lahtinen are good at their roles but do not offer anything out of the ordinary. Uusitalo, on most of the songs, supports the guitars’ rhythm sections.

In general, the songs on this EP are fairly done and performed but there are only two that deserve the true credit as being the best. “Save It”, a true Nu Metal anthem with a good and heavy rhythm, beautiful and catchy chorus that brings back the beginning of the decade. “Keep Me On The Otherside” is one hell of a song, the longest one on the EP but the best of all. It makes the true combination between Nu Metal and Dark Metal, Sentenced versus Creed and Staind. This song is truly a masterpiece that should lead the band in their next endeavor in the music industry and especially in the Metal world. A magnificent and moving chorus that is stored in the memory with heavy and cracking guitars.

Keep Me On The Otherside is another move for a band that can go far with their music. If they can keep the spirit of their songs and next material just like their self titled track, they are on their way to glory and its positive that the listeners won’t miss it.

Marko Pajula – Vocals
Toby Wiio – Guitar
Ilkka Kivimäki – Guitar
Jukka Uusitalo – Bass
Jussi Lahtinen – Drums