There's nothing as good as passive research: when you let the information come to you. I was browsing the Nuclear Blast record label site and a page came up with their latest signing: Sonic Syndicate. I heard the samples, and was hooked. I got the album, too easy. If my information is correct, Sonic Syndicate, a six-piece metalcore / melodic death outfit from Sweden formed by 3 brothers, (vocalist and 2 guitarists) won a Nuclear Blast battle-of-the-bands contest, with competition from 1,500 other bands, so if nothing else, show them a little respect. The prize? A record deal with Nuclear Blast.

Drawing on influences from latest albums by Children Of Bodom, In Flames and Soilwork, their second album and first with Nuclear Blast, Only Inhuman is a barrage full of heavy riffs, incredibly catchy off-the-wall melodies, killer choruses and pure aggression. Of the 11 tracks on the album, not one fails to offer up something delicious on the metal menu.
In a similar move to Lacuna Coil, we have 2 vocalists, although both males, one with clean melodic vocals and the other with not quite deathly, but growling vocals. The move does work well, with constant switching of vocal styles and plenty of overlapping vocals, which to one advantage can be replicated live. Like COB, keyboard melodies are used here and there to good effect but most of the time is used as background synths. Unlike COB, there are no solos during the songs, keyboard or guitar, but there's enough variety in each song that they do not suffer because of this.

Along with aggressive vocals and heavy riffing, there are several slower passages with a very melancholic mood to them which gives them a very mature sound despite their young age. Most tracks remain in the faster, heavily guitar driven mood, although track 5, Enclave does slow it down and manages to tug at the heartstrings with a very emotional (not emo) number.
Need that perfect song to lift you out of that bad mood? Denied does this perfectly, with an aggressive but uplifting sound and a killer chorus. It is without doubt the best song on the album, great video clip as well. The chorus on All About Us is the only thing that annoys me slightly, but that's mere nitpicking, not a fault on the band. Don't judge a book by its cover either, they might not look like the most metal bunch of guys (and girl) but they sure know how to deliver the goods.

Great uplifting choruses, heavier-than-hell riffs and fantastic melodies, both keyboard and guitar. I cannot wait to hear more from this band. They are about to tour Europe with Dark Tranquility, Soilwork and Caliban, a move that should gain them both more fans and more respect, which they no doubt deserve.