Death is June - Liquid Flesh : "Dolores"

 

It is interesting as I was just reviewing Power Trip's 2017 album and pondering on how they are pretty much a hard core influenced death metal band expect for the fact the vocals are more punk. Listening to this album it shows how the vocals color the music more heavily than we realize. Guitar wise there is little that separates these guys from a band like Power Trip, aside from the low guttural vocals. It sets a darker mood and provides more heft for sure. The only problem with this band is when I looked away from the screen the first song transitioned in the second with out me noticing, which means they have a very uniform sound that makes the songs sound the same. Going forward  what I am listening for is for this band to prove me wrong in this regard. 

"Tapage Nocturne" has a more ambling groove, which clues me in as to why they are so quick to tag this as death n roll, as there is a slight Entombed feel to it. These guys keep songwriting in mind rather than just pummel you with riffs. The guitar solo also adds a bit more rock n roll color to things. "Dose letale Mediane is the first song that shifts the dynamics into something more melodic. It takes a jarring turn into a brisk jazzy saunter, before building up into double bass. I appreciate how it shows their abandonment of traditional song structures.  The solitary growl leads the way into "Tribunal Fantomatique" .  There is more of a death doom feel to this one. It drones forward, with no surprises. There is a denser and heavier rumble to "Ocean de Failes". It churns along the more left hand path here, though it is not as interesting as the previous songs, but not dialed in either. 

"Cauchemar Blanc" twists around with the angular grooves of it's riffs not unlike old Opeth. The vocals sit further back in the mix on this one. Then on the following song they take a turn back in a more death doom direction. Sure this is heavy as hell, but is it as inspired? Well the more winding prog tendency that they flirted with on a few songs unfurls a little more with some of the wandering riffs. For "Sans Relache" they plow into the heaviest assault to your ears  of the album so far. They close things out with a creepy doomy piece that at just over seven minutes is the album's longest song. In terms of sonic colors it is dark and gritty, and does not introduce anything new to the album, but proves proficient for what it is.  I will give this album a 9, as when it comes to a genre that is easy to get mired down in the heavy, these guys keep the songs in mind , are very entertaining with the rock twist that comes up time to time.France once again provess they do metal well and left of center.