Album Review: Sinsid – All That Remains (Pitch Black Records)

Norwegian heavy metal outfit, Sinsid will release their new album, All That Remains, on the 10th of July via Pitch Black Records.

Fourteen years into their journey and Norwegian heavy metal outfit Sinsid continue to fly the flag for traditional metal with unwavering passion and conviction. Formed th of July via Pitcharound the vision of vocalist Terje Singh Sidhu, the band have built a reputation on powerful live performances and a steadfast commitment to the genre, delivering a string of increasingly accomplished releases along the way.

Their most recent full-length effort, 2022’s In Victory, earned widespread praise from critics and fans alike, further establishing Sinsid as one of Norway’s most dependable heavy metal acts. The band maintained that momentum with a pair of standalone singles in 2024, setting the stage for the arrival of their fourth studio album.

All That Remains sees Sinsid once again embracing the classic values of heavy metal while continuing to refine their sound. Mixed and mastered by Tom Poole-Kerr at Green Engine Recording, the album features ten new tracks and showcases the band’s current line-up of Terje Singh Sidhu (vocals), Erik Westerlund (guitar), Jostein Marø (lead guitar), Grzegorz Urbanski (bass), and Trygve Andre Tvedt (drums). Completing the package is artwork created by Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art.

The album gets underway with the title track, All That Remains, and very quickly demonstrates Sinsid’s hard rock and traditional metal sensibilities. With plenty of groove, it’s an energetic opener driven forward by big riffs and pounding drums. The clean, deep vocals are delivered with plenty of attitude, while a simple chorus backed by gang vocals makes up a big chunk of the track. A wicked solo leans things even further towards traditional heavy metal. I’m not 100% there on the vocals just yet though, as this opener doesn’t really stretch them or showcase them particularly well. It’s a good song, just nothing too memorable.

Sarcophagus rights some of those issues for me straight away with a much harder and heavier track where the vocals instantly impress. There’s more bite, more thrash, and much more range on display, both lower and higher. It’s almost like a different singer. The riffs are great and the big instrumental section, along with the solo, is absolute fire. It’s a song to move to and get excited by. I found myself properly into it, nodding my head along before I even realised I was doing it.

Running keeps the energy up and the adrenaline flowing with a chunky track where the riffs grab you and the mid-tempo stomp keeps you moving. I don’t know what is going on with the vocals again though. This is a bit more like the first track where they sound a little strained at times. It hardly hurts a good song, but they just don’t sit quite right for me. Where the band are faultless though is in the energy and excitement generated by the big rhythms and flashy solos. It’s fun to listen to and would be excellent live.

Templars Of Metal brings the tempo back up with a wicked track that bridges traditional heavy metal and thrash nicely. A chunky chorus gives the crowd plenty to chant along with, before the rampant verses would get the pit moving.

Pioneers is one of my favourite tracks so far. I really like the vocals on this one, which just throws me off as to why they don’t always sit right with me elsewhere. Maybe I’m just adjusting to them. Anyway, back to the song, which comes with the catchiest chorus so far, along with more fiery rhythms and bassy riffs. It’s very comfortable to listen to, simply delivering a powerful blast of old-school heavy metal.

Lawless Hunter and Azad Hind come next, with the former adding a touch of extra darkness to both the tone and vocals. It still sticks true to the genre stylings though, with grooving riffs, strong rhythms and another top chorus. The vocals get a little more snarling in the verses too, something I like a lot. The latter, one of the lead singles, has a really impressive intro, leading with drum beats before being joined by bass lines and then guitars, finally exploding into life with superb vocals and backing. It’s fast and fiery, romping along like stampeding horses. I like the storytelling aspect to this song. It’s something that’s there across the entirety of All That Remains, but it’s more obvious here. This also packs probably my favourite solo so far.

The Horror (I Know) is up next and drops the tone down, with the drums really standing out. An early intro solo instantly grabs my attention as it leads into a solid rocking rhythm through the verse. Sinsid certainly have the ability to grab your attention quickly and hold it. It’s another darker song, a style of theirs I am really enjoying. I like the whispered vocals that add a horror vibe as they lead us towards the chorus, and I really enjoy the riffs and, of course, the now expected and always excellent soloing, especially here where it is extended with loads of harmonising dual guitars.

Breaking All The Rules has a bit of a weird tone to its intro drums but transforms very quickly into a fast and fiery, stampeding track. It’s a song to fire up the mosh pit, packing a very strong gang vocal chorus alongside superb drum rhythms and bass lines. The big instrumental section that leads into the solo is pure metal magic. Somewhere In The Dark follows and is the longest track on All That Remains at over five minutes. Sinsid make good use of that time though, delivering a song that leans nicely into the storytelling aspect of traditional metal.

Impressive vocal delivery through the mid-tempo, rocking verses leads nicely into a darker pre-chorus and a strong chorus. It’s hard, it’s heavy and one of the standout tracks on a strong album. Halfway through, the song suddenly drops down into acoustic guitars playing out a gorgeous melody, allowing an emotionally charged guitar solo to scream through. As that solo moves through different phases, the acoustic guitars drop back, the powered instruments take over and the song ramps up towards its close.

Speaking of the close, All That Remains reaches its conclusion with Lords Of The Northern Lands. Slower, meatier and full of groove, it’s a hard and heavy track driven by wicked drums and riffs. The chorus is cool, with a chant-style delivery that would definitely get a crowd involved. It feels made for that live participation. Of course, we get another superb solo before we leave, leading into a few final repeats of the chorus before the album comes to an end.

All That Remains is a very good traditional heavy metal album that rarely takes its foot off the gas. It’s rampant, energetic and packed with the kind of riffs, rhythms and choruses that make these songs feel ready-made for the live environment. The lead guitar work is exceptional throughout, with the solos consistently stealing the show, while the drumming deserves just as much praise for the power and drive it brings to every track. I still have a few questions about the vocal delivery in places, as there are moments where it doesn’t quite work for me, but they’re never enough to derail the experience. Instead, Sinsid have delivered a superb collection of honest, hard-hitting heavy metal that fans of the genre will have a great time with.

Track List:

1 – All That Remains
2 – Sarcophagus
3 – Running
4 – Templars of Metal
5 – Pioneers
6 – Lawless Hunter
7 – Azad Hind
8 – The Horror (I Know)
9 – Breaking All the Rules
10 – Somewhere in the Dark
11 – Lords of the Northern Land

Sinsid Links

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Pitch Black Records | YouTube