Fony - Routine Irregular Album Review - Transcripts From The Downtuned

Recorded at the Philia Studios, Henley during February, 2002 and produced by Martin Barbour, Routine Irregular is the debut album by UK nu-metallers, Fony. Released through Casket Music - an offshoot of Copro records - it contains 12 tracks of slick, heavy and often catchy modern metal.

The theme is glossy, tuneful and very emotive songs, maintaining a cutting edge of aggression with enough melody to make AOR heaven. At times it's unashamedly nu-metal in style, but Fony refuse to remain motionless in a stagnant pool and they stir in other ingredients such as emo, hardcore and often elements of classic metal. They take the dynamics of Deftones, adding the melody of Staind, mixing the gritty heaviness and harmonies of Taproot and then pouring the result into a jacket of British rock pedigree. Growling vocals embellish the melodies and the clean dulcet vocals (and it's such a relief not to hear the standard rapping), there is a good voice here which manages to show it's versatility as well as a few subtleties.

There are also subtle varieties of styles to be found here. The title track has an almost indie\emo rock flavour to begin until the chorus bursts with growling ripeness that's superbly melodic but still remains very heavy. Fait Accompli in places is reminiscent in someway of a more polished Muse, R.I.U.P is a little more quirky and even begins with just a glimpse of electronics. Centrepaed has throwbacks to old-school British metal (those NWOBHM bands such as Jaguar, Witchfynde, Tresspass, Nightime Flyer and even early Maiden) with a traditional structure and sound, all it needed was to swap the bass feature for a guitar solo! And Chore Again shows more classic melodic heaviness with a great hook in the chorus that in a more balanced world would ensure them a guaranteed chart hit.

Initial plays of this album only get across the outline and it does require a number of listens before the songs begin to impress themselves on you. However, once they have you begin to realise that there are some excellent metal gems to be found here. It may not be the most original of creations but the songs they have produced are of a very high quality and performed with accomplished elegance.

These guys create their take on a modern metal sound and do it very well, although annoyingly at times you feel like they've left something out, maybe that element of danger, that something that sets them out from the others, that experimental cutting edge or endeavour to do things uniquely. If you enjoy your metal in a "nu" shape and want to listen to a good example of the genre, then this is definitely the album for you. It will give you a portion of polished metal mayhem with a pleasingly melodic core quite safely without any risks, but equally without breaking any new ground.

Rigsby (15th May, 2002)
www.iwillbeheard.co.uk

Band Website:
www.fonymusic.co.uk