"Land of the Plague" Album Review
The opener "Close Your Eyes" comes out swinging as the intensity sets a high bar for the rest of the album. The breakneck riffs and aggressive vocals bring to mind early As I Lay Dying in its approach. "Inside My Head" continues the runaway freight train pacing. The Metalcore vibes are stronger on this track as the breakdowns and riffs take over in a much more chaotic fashion. "A Timeless Illusion" slows things down a bit to give the listener a chance to breathe. The track is a Melodic Metal ballad that has as much melody as it does carnage. The track really showcases the depth of the band as a whole. "Mass Extinction" picks up the pace with its whirlwind riffs and tempo. The back and forth between harsh and clean vocals are in the forefront and they keep things interesting throughout. "Resonate" features more layers of sound than the previous tracks. While still heavy, there's more going on in the background that each listen feels fresh and exciting. "Puppet on a String" brings with it a more circle pit sound. The live crowd will eat this up in no time as the aggression gets cranked to 11 with its more early Killswitch Engage feel. "Monster in Disguise" has a more Melodic Metal bounce factor to it. The track has bite but also sing alongs for days. The title track is next and keeps the Melodic Metal sound churning along at a fast clip. The riffs sound very familiar but are still adding a signature flair. "Feed the Chain" is the last track that really gives off the signature Melodic Metal signature sound of the band. Everything comes together in the track and keeps things tight. The closer "Falling Forward" is an outro that is much more dynamic like "A Timeless Illusion" was. The explosion of different variations of Metal is on full display and it's a closing track that'll be remembered for a long time.
Verdict:
Cline's Mind continue to up the ante on their ferocious Metal sound with their newest full length album.
"From Beneath The Ashes" Album Review
The title track/opener blasts right in and wastes no time in setting the blistering pace. The early As I Lay Dying vibes are strong as the riffs and breakdowns destroy everything in their path. The track grabs the listener and doesn't let go, it does what an opening track should for sure. "Into The Flames" goes full swing into the Melodic Metal route. The guitar work is stellar and showcases true talents and natural sounds from the band on a grand scale. "My Darkest Days" brings with its a more ballad like tendency. The track pulls on the emotional strings and captures a ton of passion and depth within its near seven minute length. "A Peaceful Death" brings melodic tones from the start. The track is super easy to get into as a fan of Metal. After a lengthy intro, the track gets into the full bulk of things. The circle pit intensity goes to an all time high. "Hourglass" was chosen as a single and is a bit quicker in its delivery with its vocals at times but features clean melodies. The melodies soar with confidence and really go all out. The guitar solo later in the track is off the charts incredible. "Coming to Fruition" features Andy Gillion and it continues down the Metal path set before it. The track has the breakdowns and riffs that up the ante at times and still hit hard with its heavy sound and melodies. "Mindless Automatons" has another purely instrumental intro that goes even further than the previous track. The track is more melodic than the previous tracks but it still packs an edge that will get Metalheads singing and moshing along. "All For Nothing" has an intro that is still a tad too long but it eventually brings with it more melody. The melodic Metal sounds are on point as the riffs swirl around. "The Poison" has shades of "Coming to Fruition" to it. The track might be a deep cut but it still stands on its own with its attention grabbing Metal sound. Their cover of Iron Maiden's "Children of the Damned" closes the album out in style. They put their twist on the classic Metal track and cap things off perfectly.
Verdict:
Cline's Mind fine tune their Metal sound even further with a Metal album of the year candidate.
"The Dying Earth" Album Review
The opener "Lifeless" has a Metalcore vibe to it as it's like a runaway freight train during its five minute length. The clean sung chorus chimes in but doesn't overpower the track. Overall it's a tremendous opener that pulls in the listener with ease. "Chemical Hell" keeps the breakneck pace churning along. The track features some stellar breakdowns and brings with it an old school Killswitch Engage like sound. The guitar solo later on is top notch. "Take Me Away" drives ahead with melodic riffs from the first note. There's more melody on the track but it's Metal through and through. The track screams single for sure. The title track is next and brings with it more Killswitch Engage sound. The track will induce some serious moshing and singing along. "Awaken The Giant" is five minutes of slower, sludgy Metal. The sound is more timid but ups at times to create a whirlwind of riffs and vocals. "Torn Existence" kicks the pace back up. The track explodes with intensity and doesn't hold back. The melodic vocals soar with confidence and add excellent depth. "Our Last Stand" will bring with it the circle pits. The As I Lay Dying like sound is at the forefront as the track holds tight to the incredible Melodic Metal sound. "Theory of Mind" ups the ante as it blazes a path forward with its highly destructive nature. The melodic vocals have a touch of Iron Maiden to them as the track switches gears at a certain point and builds more layers of sonic depth. "Broken Into Pieces" is two and a half minutes of Thrash Metal. There's no slowing down, no holding back, just full speed ahead with carnage. The closer "Tidal Waves" is epic in its delivery. The track is a slight style change but still pulverizes the listener with a Metal sound that few have to offer up nowadays.
Verdict:
Cline's Mind stakes their claim as a Metal act that looks to breakthrough sooner rather than later.
-Interview- (5/13/21)
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name “Cline's Mind" and is there any meaning behind it?
I’ve been playing guitar in various metal bands since 1984.The Cline’s Mind project began back in 2005 when I established a small recording studio in my home. At the time I was in another band, but wanted to do my own thing without working with other musicians. Call it a side gig if you will. So I began writing material. I played all guitars, bass and vocals. Only thing I couldn’t do was real drums so I opted for a drum machine. (Horrible sound by the way!) I completed my first album “Evil Within”. I needed a name for my project and came up with Cline’s Mind. I felt it was very fitting since I did everything myself except one song where I asked my close friend to sing on. After I released that album, I went back to working with the other band I was in. I felt the Cline’s Mind thing was just going to remain a one time thing. I resurrected it again in 2017 with the release of an EP. And here we are 4 years and 6 full albums later.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
Probably the only thing I would want is for the fans to know I don’t copy any musicians/bands. Obviously, we all have our influences and similarities, But I feel the music I produce has its own unique sound. I always strive to keep the listener guessing as to how each song will unfold.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Cline’s Mind is a blend of old school Thrash, mixed with Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore and just good old fashioned heavy metal. So a lot of old mixed with new.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Iron Maiden is my all time favorite metal band. So they would be first. Testament, just because how cool is Chuck Billy?! And they thrash! And 3rd I would say Soilwork. Those dudes are incredibly talented. And I had the pleasure of working with the lead singer, Bjorn Strid. He sang 3 songs on the EP Where The Sleepless Go in 2017.
5. How has Covid affected what you do as a band?
It hasn’t affected us in a negative way. We’re able to write a lot more music.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Metal?
It’s amazing to see how popular metal has become since the 80’s. It’s so much more mainstream. The fanbase has certainly increased by a lot. I only hope the popularity continues to grow.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in New York?
Probably like everywhere else. Non-existent due to this pandemic. But generally, in Upstate NY metal isn’t very big. Gotta go to NYC , Syracuse and Albany for any kind of decent reception.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
Complete garbage. They don’t pay what artists’ work is worth. CD’s are a thing of the past. Everyone streams now. Including myself. But there has to be a way for artists to get paid more. At least the indie artists.
9. What’s next for Cline's Mind?
Great question. We will definitely be writing new material, probably beginning in June. We want to release a 2nd album in 2021. Since 2019, we have been releasing 2 albums per year. I would also love to have a full band line up to actually start playing live shows. I truly miss performing live.
10. Any shoutouts?
To all our friends and family that have supported Cline’s Mind and others who have helped get our music heard by the masses. The toughest part of all this is getting your name known. So for those who have helped, much love!
