My first encounter with the Australian hardcore act Carpathian was a very pleasant one. As one of the support acts on Parkway Drive’s 2007 European tour, they made me fall in love immediately and when I purchased their album Nothing To Lose this feeling only became stronger. Our relation came to a low, when I saw them supporting Have Heart about a month ago though. It really seemed like the fire was extinguished and the passion lost. In my opinion everyone deserves to have a second change, so here I am, writing to you about their latest effort to set things straight again.

This latest effort, Isolation, definitely contains the passion that I missed during their latest tour. In less than half an hour they show me why I liked them in the first place and they try to let me see why I should stick to them in the future. Lyrically vocalist Martin tries to educate me about how I can live positively in a negative world and musically they just try to entertain with heavy, yet melodic, hardcore tracks.  

Although they delivered a great record, that sounds as it is supposed to sound these days, not everything is positive. In fact, that they sound as they’re supposed to sound doesn’t make them more unique than any other modern hardcore band. Also you won’t find any real highlights on Isolation, ‘cause anything is more or less of the same level. The whole album furthermore actually sounds just like one very long song and although I’m digging it, probably not everyone will be pleased. The addition of guest vocalists, such as Have Heart’s Pat Flynn on ‘Ceremony’, also doesn’t lift Isolation to an all-time classic.  

All in all, with Isolation they definitely straightened things up, but the real question is: for how long? At the moment there are so many fish in the sea and they didn’t give me convincing proof why they would be more special than that other fish, swimming next to them. I will enjoy listening to Carpathian as long as it lasts though. Nobody can see in the future, so maybe we’ll stay together, maybe we won't… who knows?