If you've been following the Grant Goodmorrow site for a while, you'll know that I've jocked Vio System Divide on more than one occasion.  It all started with a review of their debut A Subliminal Spirit to the Spatiotemporal Extremity continued with my posting of a song from this EP and most recently had me congratulating lead singer u1-skemaz on the birth of his son.  So, yes, I do have a bit of a personal stake in the band and maybe I'm biased a little bit towards them.  But you know what?  They just keep putting out GREAT music, so it's pretty much impossible for me to not like them.

    The Stained Line, once again released on Vio's own Godspeed Records (but available online at CD Baby), is a bit of a teaser EP, containing three tracks from their sophomore full-length (due in late 2005 or early 2006), "Solidify Confused Materials," "Chains," and "A Stained Line."  According to u1-skemaz, the Vio guys are looking to create an Operation: Mindcrime-esque concept album.  He expects there to be about 12 songs on the disc, with each one being composed as a self-contained story that is part of a larger whole.  Unfortunately, without any supplied lyrics, I can't tell what the common thread is, but I can say that this is a beautiful progression from Sublimiinal.  The guitars of u1-skemaz and Chikara are chunky and full, Taisho's drums come through your speakers like thunder, Mach's bass is made very prevalent in the mix (for good reason) and u1-skemaz's voice continues to shine in both his menacing growl and excellent clean vocals.

    Leading off is "Solidify Confused Materials," which sees VSD paying a bit of tribute to Messhugah via some weird-time riffing, and Chikara's solo shows off some serious chops.  "Chains" is certainly the most radio-ready song on the EP, even though it clocks in at just under six minutes.  The main riff is a straightforward chugging guitars/double-bass affair, but it's guaranteed to get your fist pumping and head banging.  Also of note is Mach's snazzy opening basswork and Taisho's frantic blastbeats in the chorus. (In my opinion, between Taisho and Mach, Vio System Divide has one of the best rhythm sections in all of heavy music.)  "A Stained Line" has some sweet melodic guitar parts in the chorus and bridges, nicely offsetting the storm of crunch and double-bass surrounding them.  "A Stained Line" ends rather quickly, but I'm guessing that it won't be the final song on the CD, thus a quick intro into another number would make sense.  In a songwriting sense, each of the three tracks make sense and flow naturally.  You never once think, "Damn, this intro's way too long" or "Where the hell did this clean bridge come from?"  There's nothing but solid, mature music here.

     About the only complaint I have of The Stained Line is that the production is too low-end heavy and the mix is a little funky.  Taisho's drums are way out in front of the mix, and you're going to wind up turning the bass way down on your stereo to avoid blowing out your speakers (or at least to avoid that annoying speaker flap).  u1-skemaz's vocals are buried pretty frequently during the verses, which is a shame. 

    But really, production is a bit of a nit-picky sort of thing to bust a band on.  I mean, Chikara's throwing down seriously shredding solos, Taisho can either add a tasteful rhythm fill or completely blast his kit to hell and gone, Mach's basslines go WAY above and beyond what I'm used to hearing in this vein of metal (I really can't think of anyone I could equate him to), and u1-skemaz's delivery is so emphatic that it sounds like he's trying to crawl through your speakers to get your attention.  Songs can be re-recorded and albums can be re-engineered, but you can't "re-talent" a band.  These boys from Okazaki have talent in spades and when it comes right down home, that's what's important.  To paraphrase the late Hunter S. Thompson, big success, soon come.

Rating: The Cocoon Is Opening out of 10