Taipei Metal

Review: MenSheng - Twisted Sight

After playing around the Hong Kong independent live circuit for over three years, hardworking metalcore band MenSheng decided to take on their first recorded effort last year.  The release titled Twisted Sight effectively conveys and captures the intensity and passion of this celebrated live act.  Exceeding the common expectations of locally released metal albums, MenSheng’s music is not the least lacking or underwhelming even compared to offerings by similar Western contemporaries such as Underoath or The Devil Wears Prada.  In a way, Twisted Sight can be seen as a milestone on the evolution of HK heavy metal music since local hard rock legends such as Beyond and Anodize first hit the scene.

Opening track, “Blood Brothers” lays the foundation for this five song EP; featuring a memorable metal riff that hits like a cracking whip, it sets the stage for lead singer Benny’s guttural screams and contrasting melodic lines.  Subsequent tracks follow in this vein and offer similarly intense metal action -- double bass drumming, metal breakdowns, tight syncopated stop-start riffing are the order of the day.  Within this metal chaos, highlights include the tracks “Po Lou” and “Twisted Sight”.  Both songs feature a longer track length, and showcase an introspective side to the band, presenting moments of extensive vamping, clean guitar work and experimentation.  Particularly notable are the spoken sections on title track “Twisted Sight”; here Benny’s sincere monologue on the haunting themes of desperation, hopelessness, and materialism in Hong Kong easily invites goose bumps for local listeners.

Only ten years ago, bands like Anodize were being touted as being some of the heaviest bands Hong Kong had to offer.  In all truthfulness Anodize or similar bands from this time period have always been stuck three or more years in the past in relation to the international metal scene.  Now with young local bands such as MenSheng redefining what’s considered “heavy” in this city, it seems this gap is finally starting to close up.

Track List:
1. 同門生 (“Blood Brothers”)
2. 悲憶 (“Bi Yee”)
3. 破留 (“Po Lou”)
4. 故遙 (“Old Folktale”)
5. 扭曲視線 (“Twisted Sight”)

For fans of: The Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, Unearth, As I Lay Dying

Tags: MenSheng, Metalcore, Review, Hong Kong