The Red Chord
Prey For Eyes
4/5

Who It’s For: Metal heads
Sounds Like: Death, Crowbar and Suffocation

That obscure tech band from Boston has gone to do some big things. Since the success of The Red Chord’s Clients, this band has become not so obscure anymore. Enter the next phase of TRC, Prey For Eyes. This less than polished affair is nothing short of an adrenaline rush. Sounding like musical A.D.H.D., Prey For Eyes is spastic and abrasive from beginning to end, save a moment for a prog, synth filled instrumental (“It Came From Over There”). If you were/are really into Clients you might find Prey For Eyes a bit different but really, it’s just as awesome, if not better than is predecessor. The “core” has been reduced from their metal.

The sound of the album isn’t as in your face as before, but that’s not to say the band has held back at all. The Red Chord has gone a different route production-wise this time around. The overall dirtier sound makes you look for more in the songs to which you will find a lot. Hyper blast beats become half time breakdown beats with ease. Sometimes epic and definitely groovy guitars that demand a little had banging transform into chugs, and noodle-y fret board finger dances to keep you interested all while being some of the heaviest and most melodic stuff the band has ever done. Not to say there’s soft vocals to go along with some of the musical melodies though. Band vocalist Guy Kozowyk is still the master of the hardcore yell into the death metal growl, along with speaking parts- a definite unique and captivating part of the band. Kozowyk always seem to come up with unique song titles and interesting lyrics, reading along is always fun.

What you’ll find in Prey For Eyes is an amalgamation of all previous Red Chord work. The band almost can’t seem to decide whether to be hardcore, death metal, grind, etc, but they do it so well, that it’s fresh and fun. The Red Chord definitely keeps it interesting in the clone war of the day.

Track Listing:

1. Film Critiques And Militia Men
2. Dread Prevailed
3. It Runs In The Family
4. Send The Death Storm
5. Pray For Eyes
6. Responsibles
7. Midas Touch
8. Tread On The Necks Of Kings
9. It Came From Over There
10. Intelligence Has Been Compromised
11. Open Eyed Beast Attack
12. Birdbath
13. Bone Needle
14. Seminar

- Michael Kopko  Posted Aug. 25/07