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WRITE-UP: INTRO: The latest album by ALSDEAD, featuring the debut of their new drummer NIKKY (ex. GALEYD), and another obligatory change in their overall sound, feel, and direction. An album that feels much more 'complete' than its contemporaries, with a solid feel and delivery throughout, providing another replay-button-friendly experience to my library. THE SOUND: As similar to previous albums as it is different, they have kept the hard edge to their sound, while putting more emphasis on the individual instruments, and made the vocals fit in more as not necessarily leading the track, with melodies that are still strong and memorable, but do not rise above the value put on the guitars, or other instruments. The signature cinematic ALSDEAD synth sound is back, with an even higher quality than ever. They definitely distinguish themselves as having some of the best synth's today, with more tracks that allow you to pleasurably follow the synth all the way through, and simply enjoy the unique tone, melodic value, and refined nature of production surrounding them. To me, the usual sign of having great tone is having notes that sound not as if they are coming from an instrument, and aren't registered by the listener simply as strings being picked, or keys being pressed on a keyboard, and ALSDEAD definitely accomplishes this on IDEA THE FEEL: The tracks STARLESS and KILL THE KING should give you a starting point of what this album will sound like. It wavers in both directions: Softer with more synths, and harder with more grit and rough guitar. It is atmospheric, yet still comes off as a track-by-track experience, based on emotional expositions, raw emotions put into words that are either carefully articulated in Picture, or rudely shouted in D.9.N. It's emotional, atmoshperic rock-music storytelling that is delivered not with sap and melodrama, but with attitude. HOW IT STACKS UP TO PREVIOUS ALSDEAD ALBUMS: If you have been following them, you have probably noticed that each album marks the end of one term in ALSDEAD's sonic history, and begets another. Their debut had an emphasis on heavy emotions, bad mental states, and a wailing, dramatic sound to match this. MODALITY felt like a series of short stories, with more of a straight-forward rock feel. Seperator felt like one long, interconnected story with a deeply atmospheric feel, and dark, sleepy nature to it in between harder songs. IDEA almost feels like it mixes all of these elements together, while adding in some hard rock, some soft ballad elements, and some 90's rock mechanisms. In terms of overall experience and enjoyment, I think after the initial adjustment to your expectations, and the fact that it doesn't sound exactly like older ALSDEAD, it holds up very well as another great entry into their library. Track Count: 13 Listens: 20-25 Production Quality: Overall Rating: (This rating took some time to think over, as my first impression was of a 4.0, then built up to a 4.5 after about 20 listens, yet if I go with my gut, and realize how every track on this album hits home with me, and how much I am now enjoying it, I have to give it a 5.0) Worth the Purchase? If you have enjoyed their singles since Seperator, and have been a fan in general for any of their past releases, I highly recommend this. A solid album throughout, that shows no signs of inserted filler. The tracks are all solid, none get left behind in memory, each one brings something to the table, and overall this is a stand-out album that brings a lot to the table.