'Anatomy Of Life', is Noumena's second release for Spinefarm, after a series of (previous) label mishaps, that might have sent lesser bands spiraling down into the ground.

Instead it seems to have inspired Noumena to greater heights and with this release, sees them diverting, further away from the standard, 'melodic death metal', formula.

It's all too easy to brand each and every band that has extreme vocals, into the aforementioned genre.

Even though Noumena's vocals are more on the grunting side of growling.

Cold yet melodic, heavy, but with enough catchy melodies that make grunting almost, sounding sweet.

Noumena's sound is probably deeply rooted in the twin guitar attack that dominated the sound of metal in the mid to late 1980's, when the genre was at it's peak. Put that together with the almost distinctive Finnish Melodic Death sound that seems to have sprung from a number of bands, with the same sound, all be it branching off into different directions.

Songs like, 'Monument Of Pain', offer a brief respite from the aural onslaught, the female vocals and the clean male sounds are more than welcome. If I have any criticism, then it is the vocals that do get sometimes a little too hard to bear.

Again the songs that break that, for a better word, 'formula', with a little more variety, 'Through The Element', is another good example.

If you're a fan of the sweet melodeath sounds of Norther, Kalmah, Children Of Bodom and a like, then Noumena are doing just enough to warrant your attention and offer something a little different, that might just take your fancy.

A definite improvement on the debut album, but still more for improvement.

****

Review by Graham Boyle

Band website