Review by Adam M on March 30, 2013.

"Industry" is a Heavy Metal album that does have ties to Death Metal and Industrial music simultaneously. It makes for an effective mixture, especially when a progressive build is given to the overall framework of the work. This short EP makes use of a great deal of production to enhance the mood of guitar pummeling that is used throughout.

There are some furious riffs, but also this method of giving enhanced sound to the instruments makes the songs feel epic in nature as well. Musically, the band is sufficient, but doesn’t bring enough new to the table within the innovative scope of their music. The build-ups in their music create moods to the listener that might be hooked if they complex song structures like Meshuggah or Gojira. They are quite good in the instrumental department, bringing an aggressive standpoint in with talented drumming and background noises, like those found towards the end of 'Toxic Secretion Of Being'.

Since "Industry" is only an EP, I’m curious as to how much potential the band precisely has. A six track disc is good enough to get reasonably high appreciation of the disc, however. I think Death Metal fans would want to use this as a teaser too, because they might be a stronger outfit when more cohesiveness is brought in with the album as a whole. I think Hyperial has potential, but they need to make an innovative concept that will work as an entire album next time around. This is still very good material, however.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7.5
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.2 out of 10

Review by Adam M on January 16, 2019.

This album has a nice melodic edge that is prevalent throughout it.  The music is very accessible and has the ability to become ingrained in your head.  Catchy choruses abound in a playground of metal might.  Like Omnium Gatherum, Soilwork has managed to make their sound more accessible without giving up the heavy riffs that arise from time to time.  This album has enough variation to become one of the stronger ones from this genre in quite some time. 

Every song has something different to contribute and makes the whole piece a seamless blend of diverse styles.  The music is certainly accessible, but it’s well produced enough to have an impact regardless.  The tracks here have a feel good mood that is impossible to pass up and overtakes the listener.  This is really joyous music that has a melodic death metal tag.  The clean vocals are so prominent now that the band could almost shed that tag and still remain relevant.  If there’s a issue with the disc it’s when compared to the works of Omnium Gatherum or Be’lakor.  The album doesn’t have as much depth as those works and comparatively is relatively simplistic in style.  This is just a small flaw though as the album manages to push out constantly compelling tracks from the get go.  The clean vocals to the work are one of the strong points as well and will consistently have you enamored with the music. 

This is a great start for the melodic death metal genre in the year 2019 and I hope more good albums of the style follow it up.  Fans of the band’s previous material will find much to like here as well.  While the album could be more adventurous, there is more than enough ear candy to keep the listener occupied.  Verkligheten comes quite highly recommended.

Rating: 7.9 out of 10