The Dark Knight's Memos: Massive Scar Era's new EP (Color Blind)

The Dark Knight's Memos: Massive Scar Era's new EP (Color Blind) 

By: ``DaRk~~KniGhT`` (THE METAL SISTER)

Originally Published on 7/10/2018 at 12:34 pm

Few Hours ago, the leading Egyptian/Canadian Post Hardcore band Massive Scar Era a.k.a (Mascara) released a new EP entitled "Color Blind."

  Caption: Massive Scar Era "Color Blind" announcing cover: PC: Massive Scar Era official Facebook page

Release Details: 

Band: Massive Scar Era 

Genre: Post Hardcore 

Founded in: 2005

Hometown: Alexandria/Egypt 

Band Members: Cherine Amr, Nancy Mounir, Dylan Wijdenes-Charles, Danny Sever

Release Title: Color Blind 

Release Type: EP

Release Date: 2018

Number of Tracks: 5

Tracklist: Color Blind, Unfollow, Interlude, Oblivious, Rouge

Caption: Massive Scar Era Current lineup- PC: Decibel Magazine Website

The Memo

"Color Blind" it is somehow oriental-influenced track, I liked the calm start is like a monologue. The tempo becomes somehow faster to reflect the mood of hoping, or wishing to see a more colorful image. 

Of course, you can trace the touching sound of the violin through the riffs! There is no doubt that Cherine's expressive vocal performance can make you touch the atmosphere of the music, and involve your soul in it. 

"Unfollow" It starts with higher sound that the previous, then it turned to calmer one, it is like "Stubborn Head". But in the middle I found somehow the vocals got lost with the high sounds of guitars and violin for seconds, but everything becomes better later. 

As the track reflects a real status of anger, and rejection so you can understand the real cause of the musical mood in the track, the combination between oriental sounds like "Nai" (Flute) and oriental Violin in the heart of the angry guitars, and drums alongside the high screams of Cherine, and her clean dreamy one. 

"Interlude" the intro is killing, a real weeping "Nai" (Flute), with calm guitar sounds, and oriental percussion beats. It is like a real interlude, a real deep-thinking/overthinking time. 

"Oblivious" after this short-calm break, you find yourself in another mood, of ordering to follow, or convincing mood to follow or accept what you hate, or what you want to reject. I like the dynamic, catchy sounds. 

The atmospheric/electronic sounds enrich the dynamic energetic taste in the track. I like the clean especially the one in 2:30, I (myself) like enjoying with Cherine's vocals, especially when she control her vocal chords to make your soul dance with her voice. 

"Rouge" it is the final track, and actually I will call it the old-mascara. It carries a lot of Mascara's pre-"30 Years" tracks as "Comes Around You" or "My Ground". 

Oriental riffs, with oriental influence-drum beats, the combination between the stormy inside soul represented in screams, and blaming, strength reflected in the clean. Plus, the great, powerful Violin soul like the one in "Gravity". And the powerful/angry part after the calmness like the part in "Nothing But Yourself".

Summing Up

To Sum Up, this release awaken my love towards the band again! I was somehow disappointed after "30 Years" release, although it carries many great musical experimental techniques, but I was somehow afraid of Massive Scar Era decreasing their unique-taste as the one emerged in "Comes Around You", and the previous ones! I am in love with "My Tribute", "The World is Rising", "Repulsive", and "My Humanity" (I am just talking about the fan who is listening to Mascara since 2010). 

So I liked this release so much, Mascara is really growing again, and again! having louder voice to express the thoughts of girls trapped in minor communities, suffer to gain their rights, fight against Masculine-domination, illiteracy, non-recognition, sick social inheritance!  

Another feature is employed in the theme of the release is the Self, and the reflection. The real, and the stereotypical, the fact, and the misrepresentation.  

The music is highly influenced with a real-tradition Egyptian sound, before it becomes mixed, opened for a wider western contributions! The weeping sound of Nai which represents the green lands around the river Nile, and the sounds of Percussion that bring the glory of the deserts. 

On the other side, the high distortions, the highly rhythmic sentences create beautifully a deep reflection for what we face in this world. 

THANK YOU MASSIVE SCAR ERA  

..........................................................

WHO IS THE DARK KNIGHT??!

The Dark Knight is the pen-name, and page-admin name of the Egyptian Metal Reviewer Rana Atef. She started her career in 2013 in the Egyptian Metal scene page, then she joined Rock Era Magazine Team in Aug.2014. 

After the success her articles made, she became a wide-contributor for mostly of the Middle Eastern Metal platforms as Jorzine, JoScene, Audio Inferno, The Metal Art Magazine, Metal Bell, the Egyptian Metal Archive, and more. 

She managed to brought big names to the Egyptian/African/Middle Eastern Metal media as Septicflesh, Anaal Nathrakh, Nargaroth, Carach Angren, Amorphis, Iron Maiden's ex vocalist Blaze Bayley, Katatonia, Tiamat, LIK, Infected Rain, Swallow the Sun, Clouds, and others. 

Currently, She is managing her new blogs Egypt's Metal Reviewer, and the Metal Sister aiming to introduce a good Metal news-exchange service! Currently, the idea is supported by different European Labels such as My Kingdom Music, UnMasked Dead Records, Black Lion Records, among others. 

The Metal Sister managed to subscribe in the mailing list of Season of Mist, and Metal Blade Records to get interviews, reviews, and latest news!