Comebacks. They’re what diehard fans of countless artists dream about, usually to no avail. After keyboardist Drew Stavola left Mutiny Within and Roadrunner Records dropped the band for failing to achieve high-enough record sales with its debut album, vocalist Chris Clancy left because of financial difficulties and the group went on hiatus.
But after releasing two songs last January that were intended for its sophomore effort and getting positive feedback, the band ultimately decided to record a full second album. But was it enough to be considered a comeback?
In many regards, Synchronicity is similar to Mutiny Within’s eponymous debut. The lyrics alternate between hopefulness and regret. Presenting a positive outlook on the financial future of the music industry, which he blames for his initial departure from the band, Clancy proclaims in “Embers” that “if the embers keep burning / we’ll keep it alive / there’s still time to save this life” during one of the band’s trademark epic, soaring choruses. Just a few songs later in “Machines,” however, the singer insists that humans are “disconnected from this life” and that “we feed the world with the life that we’ve lost / consumed by what we revered.”
Clancy is adept at distinguishing his messages, despite tackling so many moods, coating the soulful ones with crisp cleans while reserving his growl and a new high-pitched scream for more negative passages.
By the middle of the record, a sense of familiarity seeps into many of the tracks. Mutiny Within brings everything from intricate guitar solos to crushing breakdowns, but the band has seemed to develop a formula. On its first album, the group overused epic choruses in which guitars relentlessly played upbeat rhythms under Clancy’s vocals. When a band uses this approach on every single song, the tracks start to meld together.
Also noticeable is Stavola’s absence. Stavola’s departure, though, gives Andrew Jacobs’ bass more chance to shine through to provide Mutiny Within with a slightly heavier sound, which Clancy matches with harsh-vocal breakdowns as in “In My Veins.” The band has improved in other departments, as well. The increased lengths of Synchronicity’s songs implies what can be confirmed upon listening: more developed structures with smoother transitions. The clarity of the speech excerpt from conspirator David Icke on “Become” bolsters the song’s message of redemption. The speech excerpts from “Oblivion” on the debut, on the other hand, were mixed together and difficult to understand.
Synchronicity is a long-awaited comeback but not without its shortcomings. Though Mutiny Within has not actually reunited as a band, the positive response to the group’s second release — marked by its number-five position on the iTunes metal chart — may encourage Mutiny Within to consider a full reunion.
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