Stigmata - Hollow Dreams (2003), Silent Chaos Serpentine (2006) [Review]

Alright this post is a little different, this time I'm not reviewing one album, I'll be actually reviewing the 2 full releases by Sri Lanka's Stigmata.

The band formed in 1999, and built a loyal following for themselves around the Asian Metal scene. Ever since they formed, the band have been hard at work, spreading their music, and the feedback they've been getting from fans, local radio stations, and shows has been more then great. Their 2006 studio release "Silent Serpentine Chaos" is placed at number 13 on Metal Forge's list for top 50 reviews of all time.



Hollow Dreams (2003)

Stigmata's 2003 release is a more Hard Rock album with metal influences.

As an overall deal the album's production is pretty impressive for a first full length release from Sri Lanka's die hard head bangers.

The vocals on the album still need growth, and sometimes get in the way, but the band's vocalist Suresh has a raspy voice, that he can take advantage of once he focuses on developing his own sound, in between all the different attempts of sounding like his idols.

Songs like the album's title track, is a more thrash metal song, covered in power ballads.

The band tries to add alot of colors to the album, with more then a couple of tracks over 5 minutes. With instrumental passages through out the album. Old school bands storngly influence the sound of "Hollow Dreams".

The presence of solos on the release is major and at times could get a little stale or overburned.

As a debut from Stigmata it is very impressive, from an underground scene that has little support.

Big ups for these guy for pushing their boundaries and trying to find their sound.

I give Hollow Dreams a 5/10




Silent Chaos Serpentine (2006)


This release does show growth and maturity on the band's sound, heading into a more Prog Metal direction, the album shows off stong influences from the NWOBHM like the likes of Iron Maiden, and also is influenced by the thrashier Gothenburg Sound.

The music offers more space for the guitars to branch out into longer playing.

The band's front man Suresh has added more techniques and improved his growls on this album. He also improved his "Tim "Reaper" Owens" high falsetto screams.

The drums and bass lines also show great improvement on the release.

The production on "Silent Chaos Serpentine" is still very raw, giving the release a very old school feel.

Power Ballads are very present on the album, like on the songs "Lucid" and "Wingless"

But a weak point would be, blending too much influences at once, on their previous album "Hollow Dreams" it was done more, and in a very "mashed up" way, on SCS the band does structure their songs better, but still at times the transitions are mixed up.

The album is influenced by Thrash Metal and the NWOBHM mainly, and it shines on songs like the album's opener "Swinemaker"

"Jazz Theory" is a thrash metal song, that falls into a Spanish acoustic solo, only to be roared into a soaring guitar solo...one of the high points on the album.

While "My Malice" is a heavier song on the album with alot of guitar work.

In conclusion, the album is indeed an improvement for the band and its apparent that these guys are on a journey to find their own sound, and with their third release, being anticipated but alot within the Sri Lankan scene, it'll be very interesting to see what these guys craft for their loyal following.

I give Silent Chaos Serpentine a 6.5/10


In conclusion the band shows growth on every release, which shows on their latest song "A Dead Rose Wails For Light" part of their upcoming album.

Coming from a country with a small metal scene, much respect for these guys for giving it their best.


Make sure to check out the band's Myspace to hear their new song "A Dead Rose Wails For Light" and other songs. And to also vote for the band in the upcoming "Metal Camp"


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Coming up:

Reviews for
Lamb Of God - Wrath
Iris Divine - 4 Song Demo

and alot more to follow....