Scarve

Irradiant (Listenable)
by Adrian Bromley

In the last little while, France has offered up a unique style of music. Bands like The Old Dead Tree, Arkhon Infaustus, or Anorexia Nervosa have added their own spin to multiple genres of music. While I must applaud Scarve for the powerful, shapeshifting sorting of technical/groove metal on Irradiant, the sound is too reminiscent of their influences (Darkane/Meshuggah) for me to appreciate it wholeheartedly. I don’t know if this had to do with working with producer Daniel Bergstrand (who’s done wonders for Meshuggah and countless others), but something here seems a bit too similar to what we’ve been subject to over the past few years. Personally, a bit rawer production and less obvious Meshuggah stylings and I think these technical purveyors could offer up something with a bit more substance. Not bad, though, and regardless of what I think, fans of that Swedish death metal sound will eat this up.
(www.listenable.net)