San Diego Reader

Despite a silly album cover — skulls and crossbones, text surrounded by flames — Sicarus isn’t as schlocky a metal band as one might think. Contrary to what their art conveys, the three tracks on this disc at first mix bits of trance and pop with the double-bass drums and distorted guitars commonly associated with the metal genre. Then, sadly, it melds into an already well carved niche.

The first track, “Changing Faces,” seems a little overmixed. The drums aren’t as raw as they might be otherwise, vocals slightly too front-and-center. “Breaking Free,” the second song, follows a somewhat more traditional format, with a keening guitar background, fill-heavy drumming, and screamed lyrics. The final offering and the album’s title, “Strength of All,” is harmony-heavy and the band’s strongest track.

While it may be too bubblegum for hard-core metalheads and too...well, metal for the Rise Against and Shinedown set, Strength of All makes for an interesting listen at least.

Album: Strength of All (2009)

Artist: Sicarus

Label: self-released

Where available/price: sicarus.net, $5; iTunes, $2.97

Songs: 1) Changing Faces 2) Breaking Free 3) Strength of All

Band: Jon (lead vocals), KC (bass/vocals), Eric (lead vocals), Dustin (drums), Mad Scotsman (guitars/vocals)