Sicarus, Feeling of Hate, and K.A.L.M.

Artist: Sicarus
Song: “Strength of All” (from the CD Strength of All)
Heard By: Scoops, City Heights

It totally sucked. It was like three different bands that weren’t really good that were playing the same song in different parts. The first band kind of sounded like Orion’s Void. The second band was like some emo crap trying to be like Cave In but not as good. The third band was like a wannabe hard ’80s metal band. I gave it a chance, but it let me down. I’m sure they can do better. They all seemed talented. It’s just the style of music they’ve chosen is bad. When I hear that song, I picture breaking stuff, then crying about it, then breaking stuff because you’re crying about breaking stuff.

Artist: Feeling of Hate
Song: “Alive” (from their self-titled CD)
Heard By: Guillermo Lugo, Mission Hills

I like the introduction — how they started very hard and fast. I felt like the singing part was too soft. You can hear the instruments more than his voice. It’s not the voice that you use for heavy metal. I liked the music, but it’s not my type of metal. I like Iron Maiden. I go more for the British metal because they have a good understanding of music. If they make some changes to the song, it could be popular on the radio. In Latin America, we listen to a lot of metal, but we always look towards Europe because Europe makes better bands. If this band wants to be popular, they’re going to have to take a little more of the European style.

Artist: K.A.L.M.
Song: “The Tide” (from the CD The Tide)
Heard By: Mish, Escondido

I thought it was more or less a radio ballad. It kind of reminded me of Kelly Clarkson on American Idol. The ballads that she did for that were really trying to be on the radio and have the effort show through. The middle verse was going on about the “empires” and the “rage” or the “rain”…I couldn’t quite tell what the word was. It then went back to “still in my heart I think he’ll come back to me.” It didn’t quite connect. It was just epic things that don’t matter. The song was more about longing and possible denial. They were good musicians. I was pleased to hear the guitar at the very end. It actually had some life to it — more life than the rest of the song.