Orbit Culture : "Death Above Life"

 

This Swedish band mixes death metal power with thrash hooks to create something that feels not unlike Scar Symmetry. Sung vocals punctuate things at the expected spots. They have some pretty epic atmosphere, so if you are head headbanging teenager, I can hear plenty of reasons to be impressed. But we are adults here, so let's dig in further and see if there is more to this. 

It is really well produced with a crushing guitar sound that is massive. "Bloodhound" is all pummelling nuance, so much so that it sounds like Soulfly mixed Slipknot's brand of chaos. This shifts into more of a breakdown. Their more mainstream approach to metal kind of makes" Inside the Waves" feel bland, as it's a pounding I have heard from a hundred other bands, so I am listening for what is going to make them stand part from that. Some of the textures that made the opening track work so well are abandoned in an effort to open up the pit. ome of the industrial synth pulses begin to resurface when they lock into a groove. It feels almost too calculated. 

When "The Tales of War" kicks in, you can nod your head to it. Then they speed up and ruin that. Not enough dynamics, darkness, nuance, or hook for me. The more deliberate crunch to 'Hydra" is more effective. "Nerve' sounds like Gojira covering Metallica. The title track has industrial touches that make it feel more like a nu-metal take on death metal. Sonically, it is better than some of the choices they make on this album. "The Storm" is a little more deliberate, which also helps them. 

"Neural Collapse" offers a more Lamb Of God like chug but with the backbone of Fear Factory rather than the Pantera-like groove. "The Path I Walk" closes the album. It is a ballad that could have come from the new Bush album. I will give this album an 8.5, as it feels a little too straightforward for me, and I wish they leaned further into their industrial influences which might have set them apart more, but fans of more middle-of-the-road big arena/ festival metal will dig this. Nowhere as dark as the album cover suggests. Out on Century Media. 

pst503

Orbit Culture : "Descent"

 Normally what I dislike about the bulk of newer death metal is the production. It's big , but over produced in manner that has compressed all the heaviness out of the guitar sound. In doing so the feeling that should be channeled through the instruments with the most malicious of intentions, gets lost if it was even threre to begin with. This does not seem to be the same with the new album from Sweden's Orbit Culture. Perhaps their northern European heritage plays into this. There is a great deal of majestic command to this band's sound. "Sorrower" at first finds a more overt pounding taking over , then midway into the song they begin to explore melody.

 "From the Inside" starts with delay drenched clean guitars that echo throughout the song when the grooving crunch of guitars kicks in. I think this is one of the more effective displays of dynamics. When the syncopated growled vocals come in things pretty much conform to the metal rule book. The sung hook to the chorus is more predictable. They switch grooves around so it does not just hammer you. "Vultures of North" finds them in a more Static X  like vibe. Not the first time industrial influence is heard on this album.  These guys tend to go for a big anthemic feel, but it often sounds like a heavy metal pep rally. This kind of stomp can be heard on "Alienated". The sung vocals fit , but perhaps too much so as you see them coming from a mile away. I can see this going over well at mainstream metal festivals like Welcome to Rockville. 

"Aisle of Fire" is a little more brooding, which works better for me as the Metal Pep Rally is not dark enough for me. However the sung vocals on this one bring a Metallica feel to the table, which is expanded upon as this album progresses. It sounds good and is hooky, but just does not feel emotionally heavy to me. It does remind me of in the 90s when bands like Sentenced and Hypocrisy began making music for a more middle of the road metal crowd. They do muster up some head bang worthy riffs, but the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. 'Undercity" combines the more industrial feel with the Metallica influence which is interesting despite hitting like "Sad But True".

The title track has more of a nu-metal hammering to it. The power ballad that closes the album works much better. It takes the band further from the scope of what is death metal, but I have a feeling that is the journey they are on. I will give this album a 9, as it is well done, and finds them step out of the confines of genre limitations, it is big and loud but does not strike me as heavy , but rather an arena rock take on metal , if you like big epic metal with hooks...think In Flames more radio friendly moments, then you might dig these guys.