This Australian band calls themselves metalcore, but I am only hearing metal at their core. The riffs that hint at hardcore could be heard on a Slayer album, and they do blend thrash with death on this album. The vocals do take punchier patterns in their phrasing than straight growling like a death metal band, but are pretty clsoe to it. They kick the door in with the first song, but then they must prove they can write songs rather than just deal in sheer heaviness. "Valley of Agony" has more groove, but some of the breakdown stomping riffs are a little too predictable. The vocals are more of an abrasive growl, getting pretty hard by the time we grind into "Godforsaken Silence".
The problem begins to be dealt with. What sets these guys apart? Why should I put this album on instead of Harms Way or Knocked Loose, who write catchier songs? Thankfully, most of these songs are under the four-minute mark, so they slam into your ears and do a karate kick to your brain. More of a Pantera-like thrashing goes down on 'The Executioner". I can also hear some Lamb of God influence on these guys. "Tempest" brings more speed to the occasion with pummelling double bass. The vocals begin to feel redundant by this point in the album. Though the riff is hookier to compensate. But vocals should not just be an afterthought.
"Garden of the Grieving Mother" is marginally darker, but mostly more of the same, though very taunt in their attack. "Death Blooms" is a little darker, enough to convey the needed sense of malice to make me believe what they were doing for a minute. "Legacies of Dust' is a little more thrashy, though vocals are in the higher, almost black metal rasp. "Existing Beyond Death' has a decent verse riff, but it feels more like an idea of a song. I will give this album a 7, sure they are skilled musicians, but the best songwriters as everything grows redundant halfway into the album.
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