Source: Album Artwork
Self-released albums almost always come attached with stigma. On occasion, they come from a globally-renowned act publicly flipping the bird to the corporate world but, in the vast majority of cases, it’s a bunch of hopefuls dipping their toes in the water before they dive in and quit their dead-end day jobs. Some are worthy of enticing a record deal; most are not. After two years in the making, Dutch metal outfit, Codex, are ready to test the waters with their debut album, The Peace Paradox, but it is unlikely to cause ripples, let alone waves, in the crowded scene.
At face value, The Peace Paradox is a pretty crisp effort. It’s simplistic, yet focused, and Codex achieve the conventional style they are aiming for. Influenced by the likes of Tool, their traditional nature rings true from the off but, unfortunately, it wears thin very quickly.
Opener ‘Heat of War’ is rather sub-standard, and the conscious effort to add tempo and ferocity to the riffs creates a stale, uninspiring atmosphere. The quartet began working on this record in 2012, yet some of the lengthier tracks – ‘Legacy’ and ‘Alienated’, in particular – are starved of much-needed progression, and serve only to boost the duration.
There is nothing distinctly bad about The Peace Paradox, however. A record of this quality is to be expected from a self-released act. Codex do not attempt to rustle any boundaries; the album sits obediently in its place. But as a result, The Peace Paradox will only appeal to those content with that, and that alone.
