What do you get when you take several heaping table spoons of early Soilwork and then accidentally mix it up with early In Flames aka, “Lunar Strain” and “The Jester Race”, you get a turbulent tornado of heavy pounding rhythms, semi-deathly vocals and drums just racing by your ears. “Endgame” is packed with catchy and infectious rhythms that’ll make you bang your head so hard that you will be seeing pentagrams. This album also features some diversity as well, especially in the third song “Endgame I” with its melodic female vocal opening passage and part of the arrangements in the track “Endgame II”. They’ve even one instrumental here, in the shape of “Hindsight”, which defintiely shows the band’s overall versitility as a tight unit, with its well executed playing. This quartet from Vancouver, Canada play with so much conviction that every rhythm, riff, tempo change and the pissed off vocal passages on “Endgame” make it a memorable release.

Given a simple lack of imagination, even melodic death can become a limiting genre. Too often, it all ends up coming to about the same thing. Add some softer, more musical streamlining than simple death metal, a few lead guitars, and a bit of keyboard work and you’ve got it! But on their new Galy Records CD Endgame, Soulscar put forth just the kind of much-appreciated effort which allows them to push the boundaries of a style which is, in truth, starting to become a little worn out. The furious growls of vocalist Andrew Staehling, the driving riffage and harmony leads of Staehling and Stas Mikheev, and the pounding rhythms of bassist Brent Mackenzie and drummer Igor Cheifot are all pretty good to begin with. But what makes one give this a second listen (and a third and a fourth!) are the unexpected touches like the calming female vocals on parts 1 and 2 of the title track, the keyboard soloing a la Children of Bodom, and the instrumental songs like “Synesthete” and “Phoenix Tears” (which remind one a lot of Christofer Malmstrom’s recent inspired work with Non Human Level). These kinds of relatively original and creative additions to what is already a decent collection of songs make this a prime example of the potential still waiting to be mined out of contemporary melo-death. The horribly off-key clean vocals on “Hindsight” could of course keep one from saying this is a perfect CD. And then, like its predecessor, Endgame also is a short run, coming in at just over 37 minutes. But in some ways, the shorter length might be a good thing since one can’t possibly get to the end of this and say “that’s enough Soulscar for a while.” One comes away wanting more, and there’s almost something pleasurable in that kind of dissatisfaction. Like being held on the edge of a musical orgasm and never quite feeling like one’s done. I think that spells definite job security for Soulscar.
4/5

Soulscar's heady death-infused thrash metal is a beautiful blend of the genres. Hard, heavy death claws sink into you, fueled by speed-driven, groove laden thrash propulsion. Lots of dynamics and energy expressed with strong production values highlight Soulscar as a metal band ready to capture fans from all over. Figure in the heavy metal melodies that infuse this, and you'll see that the stylings on "Endgame" are destined to show Soulscar a band with which to be reckoned. Watch out.

The unrelenting clickfest, that is MySpace, sometimes allows people to stumble upon really great bands. It was at such an occasion i discovered Soulscar. Hailing from Vancouver, Canada and started as a one-man project, Soulscar plays truly superb melodic death metal.
I’ve been on the lookout for a little Arsis-brother/sister for quite some time now. And at last, my search seems to come at an end.
Oh yes. Are you looking for thát kind of melodic death metal, with a twist? Original and thoughtfully crafted songs with riffs that stick, perfect drumwork, lots of instrumental bits and lead parts that will have you nodding your head, thinking: “oh yes…more, please!”? It is indeed Arsis who spring to mind with a few spoons of Into Eternity and a drop of Death added to the concoction. People who like these bands urgently have to check Soulscar.
This album, Endgame, has been spinning round after round in my CD player. I simply can’t get enough of it. The blend of melodic thrash/death is SO addictive!
There’s also the sparse use of clean female vocals. Personally, i like it. It adds some kind of mysterious touch to the, already amazing, songs. And each one of the songs is a homerun.
Rather bold words and comments about this little known band, but they deserve so much more. And i know i’m right. There’s a lot of metalheads out there who’ll want to have this piece of artwork. I strongly advise them to check out the preview songs on myspace and the Endgame official website. Listen a few times, get hooked and order the CD, just like i did.

Thumbs up!

4.5/6

There were a lot of things I liked on the first Soulscar record. The delicious dual lead guitars, the occasional thrash riffing and general old school metal feel to the songs but then there were some things I didn’t like. The frequent clean vocals, the general metal power ballad tilt to a lot of the songs and the somewhat anemic production. It always had me thinking that if they dropped some of these negative elements and tapped their inner thrash/speed metal demon they would have one hell of a record. I guess they must have thought the same thing because that one hell of a record is right here.

In a nutshell, Endgame solves all the deficiencies of their debut. The production is drastically superior, the songs are fast and furious with the flag planted firmly in the thrash camp and the clean vocals have been replaced by sultry, pixie like female vocals that, despite knowing they serve essentially the same purpose, I can’t help but like. All of these things are huge pluses for these guys but where they really outdid themselves is in the guitar department. The first album had some great solos but nothing like this. On Endgame Soulscar lays down a wall to wall carpet of stunning Maiden influenced solos and dual solos that, like a Peter North film, spray huge loads of guitar love over each and every victim…er, I mean song. A more properly trained guitarist might point out that it’s probably just a bunch of scales played with blazing speed and pinpoint precision to mask their relatively simple origins but I can’t remember when I heard a more quality assembly of wank-free solos housed on one album. But that’s not the sole reason this band rips. Probably even more impressive is how far they’ve come in their rhythm guitar songwriting. There’s a dizzying display of thrash riffage that gives a heavy nod to the thrash masters of old but still manages to sound fresh and new in the nimble hands of these increasing accomplished songwriters.

In another case of playing to their strengths, they use their somewhat thin, vanilla vocals sparingly, even dropping off completely for no less than three instrumentals. Now as anyone knows, playing without the benefit of a lead singer is the true test of a band’s inherent musical ability and here Soulscar shines just as bright. Typically starting with an early Metallica like clean electric intro that ends just before it wears out its welcome; it’s just a prelude before the real fun begins. Using an aggressive traditional speed metal sound to root an impressive blend of sturdy thrash rhythms and a stellar array of varied solos, these songs are not as technical as fellow Canadians Mastery but are extremely FUN, delivering a comfortably nostalgic classic metal sound but with a harder, faster modern extreme metal edge.

I think this record will appeal a lot to fans of traditional/power metal guitar work that can’t stomach the vocal operatics, love ballads or general glam cheesiness that plague the genre. At the same time, this will equally appeal to people looking for an updated, breakdown free version of thrash with more emphasis on speed than groove. Either way, Soulscar has definitely stepped up their game and delivered on that one hell of a record. Hopefully they get the accolades and success they deserve even though this falls outside the current popular metal trends/genres. Well, maybe the female vocals are trendy…but they’re good anyway.

First of, props to Galy for exposing me to the world of Canadian melodic death metal with this Vancouver melodic death metal act well as bands like Shades of Dusk amid their grinding brutal roster of acts. Second, hats off the Soulscar for delivering an interesting and varied melodic death metal album.

Treading the sort of polished and catchy form of crunchy, rock-based melodic death metal as Gandalf, Gardenian or The Duskfall, littered with proggy synths an female vocals, Soulscar wear their Gothenburg influence on their sleeve with pride. While not bringing anything remotely new to the genre, Endgame, Soulscar’s third effort, is nonetheless an enjoyable entry into the genre that has some personality amid it’s slightly less obvious In Flames/Dark Tranquility lineage.

The tracks that rise above the competent generic sort of galloping, layered canter of the album are generally the one that do something a little different. Whether it be the delicate female vocals (“Endgame I”, “Endgame II”), a delicate intro to a stout instrumental track (“Setraline”), urgent thrash (Hindsight”) or controlled instrumental experimentation (“Phoenix Tears”), the band injects just enough to keep things interesting amid the other solid offerings (“Identity”, “The Hurt Plains”, “This Demon Mine”, “Synesthete”, “Liars League”).

Certainly not an album that will set the world on fire, but it’s well played, well produced and well written and serves as a nice break from my usual diet of breakdowns, blasting and growling.

Western Canada’s kings of melodic, Swedish-flavoured thrash are back with another album that, by all accounts, should garner them a bigger buzz than what they already have. With Endgame, it’s more of the same incredibly perfect riff action, catchy choruses, and raging double time beats. But this time they’ve finally got a really good production sound. This Vancouver band have always been the brainchild of mastermind Andrew Staehling, and with this album it’s even more so, as Andrew continues his Mustaine/Waters-esque quest for thrash domination. And yeah, there are hints of both Megadeth and Annihilator here, with Soulscar topping what either have done in a good decade. The drawback to Endgame is the lack of those excellent clean vocals that made the band’s last, Victim Impact Statement, such a pleasant surprise. Some well-placed female vocals do provide a great counterpoint to the growling and screaming, though. Man, this stuff rages, even if for once some of the songs begin to feel a bit predictable. One of Canada’s best, here’s hoping Endgame gets these guys some big-league attention.

Don't call Andrew Staehling a control freak. He just happens to know what's best for his "band" SOULSCAR. On "Endgame", the project's third full-length release, Staehling contributes vocals, guitars, bass and keys, not to mention producing the album. Although other musicians do contribute vocals and solos on the album, "Endgame" is unquestionably Staehling's baby. As it turns out, the man does a fine job of constructing a strong collection of melodic death/thrash that owes a great deal to the Swedish masters, including bits of old DARK TRANQUILITY.

Loads of crunchy guitar riffs, harmonies, and soaring solos mesh well with catchy songwriting. Much of it is of the up-tempo and thrashy variety, as demonstrated by songs like "Identity", "The Hurt Plains", and the intense "Liar's League". A smattering of keyboards are found at various points along the way and work to accent the tracks without interfering with the tough riffing. It is a tad odd that the album boasts no less than three instrumental tracks ("Sertaline", which features effective keys, "Synesthete", and "Phoenix Tears"), but all are enjoyable and fit nicely within the album's larger framework. The guy does have a knack for balancing the aforementioned riff crunch with tuneful leads; there is a certain flow to the songs that is missing from some of the band's contemporaries. On the downside, the female vocals of Alexandra Staehling on "Endgame I", "Endgame II", and "Hindsight" are ill fitting, both from the standpoint of arrangement context and delivery. In fact, the female vocal parts on "Hindsight" are uncomfortably awkward.

On the whole, "Endgame" sounds surprisingly fresh, considering the throngs of competitors continuing to ride the Swedish melodic death/thrash wave. The guitar work alone (including the rich tone) is enough to warrant a listen. If you can get past the momentum-killing vocals of Alexandra on the above-mentioned tracks, you'll find "Endgame" a pleasing experience.

Essentially a one-man-band here, we have the extremely talented and rather catchy Melodic Death Metal/Thrash stylings of Soulscar (aka Andrew Staehling). "Endgame" being the bands 3rd released effort , 2nd for Galy Records. Combining an almost Arch Enemy approach at guitar work while brandishing some truly unique and powerful riffing and extraordinary knack with writing melodic hooks. Soulscar look to take on the entire Melo-Death scene with this one, and by the sound of it, they might have just blown quite a few of the old timers out of the water with "Endgame".

If you were particularly unsatisfied with this years crop of Melodic Death Metal releases, then Soulscar may just want to change your mind a little bit. If by the off chance you haven't stumbled upon Canadas dirty little secret yet, I would implore you to check this cd out and give them a chance.

The only problem I had at all with this disc is that the Vocal performance of guest singer Alexandra Staehling was a bit lackluster. I have nothing against female vocalists or guest singers on albums, but please, IF you are planning on making your songs "shine" with that performance, get someone who doesnt sound like they are pushing the voice out nasally. Now to their defense, im sure that Soulscar were just fine with Alexendras performance, I simply found it a bit off. The 3 songs that feature her guest appearances are still great tracks, but in my mind they only begin their approach to greatness after and in between her vocals.

All bashing aside on the vocal front, musically were talking soloing keyboards (think cheesy... but not absurdly), they are done with some taste and arent thrown around so much as to make you want to gag when you hear them thrown in. Fans of Melodic Death Metal will no doubt be familiar with keyboards and shouldnt be too frightened by them. The drum work on this album is technically proficient in every sense of the word, and the guitar work is just outstanding.

From track to track an obvious maturing can be heard musically from the thrashy opener "Identity" to album ender and technical blasting out the gates "Liar's League". Soulscar can definitely hold their own in this category or genre of heavy metal music.

Any slight weakness shown throughout is just that; slight, and will quickly be forgotten as the album rips into another shredding solo or wonderfully placed instrumental section. Keep an out on these guys I have a feeling that I'll be seeing them more and more as time goes on.

Standout Tracks: "The Hurt Plains", "Sertraline", "Synesthete"

Ratings: Music: 8/10 Vocals: 7.5/10 Creativity: 7.5/10 Sound Quality: 10/10 Overall: 7.5/10

Harking back to the golden days of thrash, the mid to late 80’s, Soulscar come pounding into your stereo with their latest, Endgame. Adding a generous helping of death metal to the mix brings this CD into the modern era, where the line between styles disappears. Endgame, the bands third release, shows us that melody and brutality are not just reserved for bands from Gothenburg, Sweden. In fact, I think Soulscar are ready to rival In Flames as a premier melodic death metal band, even though Come Clarity seemed to get them back on track after the disappointing Soundtrack to Your Escape.

Like all good melodic death metal albums, Endgame is overflowing with rapid-fire riffs and overactive drumming that should be enough to keep even the most discriminating metal fan at attention. The songs come fast and furious, too, barely leaving time for a breather. Aside from track 9, Phoenix Tears, all songs are very up tempo. Luckily Soulscar really never lose focus and none of the songs become 3 minutes of obnoxious noise. I think, though, that drummer Igor Cheifot could have reined it in a little bit as at times he seems to hit a drum just because it's there, not because it adds to the song. It's a minor detail and certainly does not make Endgame any less enjoyable.

Two things about this album caught me by surprise. One is the inclusion of female vocals on a few songs. The majority of the vocals on the album are performed by band mastermind Andrew Staehling and bass player Brent Mackenzie, but the insertion of the female vocals is a nice counterbalance. The other surprise is the inclusion of instrumentals. Not one, not two, but three instrumentals. This, of course, is not a negative against the album. I just would not have expected 3 of ‘em (Sertraline, Synesthete, and Phoenix Tears). And to be honest nothing in the way of energy or power is lost without the vocals. They pull it off rather well.

Soulscar are to me ready for the big time. With Endgame they have shown they have the instrumental skills and songwriting ability to keep up with the big guns of the melodic detah metal genre (Dark Tranquillity, Soilwork, etc.). I see no reason why these guys should not be more popular. So, do yourselves, and the band, a favor. Go out and buy Endgame. I don't think you will be disappointed.