In the Guise of Men - Demo
France’s In the Guise of Men features vocalist Heitham Al-Sayed from English rap/metal outfit Senser. Its demo is an intriguing but bumpy ride. The songs are extremely choppy, often stringing riffs together seemingly randomly. Math-y grooves a la Meshuggah butt heads with prog bits and melodic, more traditional metal. The latter is the most successful, highlighting Al-Sayed’s strong singing. At times, though, he breaks into a fast, System of a Down-esque bark that’s grating and unnecessary.
The guitar work is colorful and diverse, slightly reminiscent of Teppei Teranishi’s work in Thrice. For a demo, the production is quite good, and the performances are tight and professional. Catchy riffs and good ideas abound here; they just need focus. You can hear all five songs of this demo at the band’s website.
