Synergy (Extol album)

This album saw the band shifting more towards a technical deathrash sound. The Norwegian singer-songwriter Maria Solheim performs quest vocals on "Paradigms." The session guitarist Tore Moren plays guitar solo on "Nihilism 2002" and the first solo on "Psychopath". Samuel Durling of the death industrial band Metal Destruction performs distorted vocals on "Emancipation".

The album was recorded at Top Room Studios, produced by Børge Finstad, mixed at Fagerborg Studios and Top Room Studiossa. Morten Lund mastered the albuma t Masterhuset AS. The album cover was painted by Hugh Syme, who has done work for such groups as Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Rush, Fates Warning etc. The band says that the cover picture "illustrates the synergy effect of elements working together (monk and Death) and thus gaining strength beyond what the effect would be if all the elements would be working separately."^[1]

Stephanie Sollow of Progressive World gave the album a very positive review, writing: "Extol are very good at what they do, playing a very tight and intricately arranged form of progressive thrash metal, if you will. They transition easily between different meters, all while creating a heavy wall of sound though which a guitar lead or some dynamic cymbal work will poke through for its lead spot."^[2]

[edit] Track listing

"Grace for Succession" - 4:12
"Paradigms" - 3:40
"Psychopath" - 3:47
"Blood Red Cover" - 3:37
"26 Miles from Marathon" - 4:12
"Confession of Inadequacy" - 3:47
"Scrape the Surface" - 3:20
"Thrash Synergy" - 5:20
"Aperture" - 3:11
"Emancipation" - 3:20
"Nihilism 2002" - 4:09

[edit] References

v • d • e Extol

Peter Espevoll · David Husvik · John Robert Mjåland · Tor Magne Glidje · Ole Halvard Sveen Ole Børud · Christer Espevoll · Eystein Holm · Emil Nikolaisen

Studio albums	Burial · Undeceived · Synergy · The Blueprint Dives

Other	Northern Lights · Mesmerized · Paralysis

Labels	Endtime Productions · Century Media Records · Solid State Records