Arise From Worms : "A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction"

 I guess the fact Dream Theater's keyboardist is on tis album should have been the clue this would be more progressive than I expected since I'm here for the Steve Tucker factor. Sonny from Incantation is the brainchild of this project; he got the idea on the tour I caught with them opening up for Morbid Angel. The drummer from Cryptopsy is driving this manic machine. He gets pretty blasty in the face of the angular riffs coming at you on "Power Obsessed". Tucker does a great job of approaching this differently than he did with Morbid Angel, as he navigates tricky tempo changes.This does cross over into technical death metal. 

There is more of a haos to "Raize Demon Breath".I suppose the shreddy aspect of it is impressive to those of you into that sort of thing. Tucker's layered and articulated approach to the vocals is the most interesting aspect. "Psionice Being" bleeds out of the previous song; it is a mix of darker Morbid Angel riffing around prog keyboard harmony runs.  "Nine Walls" perhaps packs even more twists and turns into things/. As an instrumental without the harsher growls to rein it in, things go deep into prog. Rapid-fire riffing and sweeping guitar solos become this album's dominant force, the further into the songs you go. There is a talent on display here, but nothing hooks me in.

The vocals return for "The Axes of Voivode" it does not have as much purposeful groove as what Tucker had to work with earlier in the album. The second part of this second is not much different than the first perhaps with more furious blasting from the drums. I like Tucker's vocal approach on this album and there is no denying the chops at play here though I feel at times this can come to their detriment and counterbalances the heaviness. I will give this album an 8.5, it's Tucker's vocals that will bring me back for repeat listens 

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FLESHVESSEL : "Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded"

The New Orleans-based band's second album feels like they are wading out even further into chaotic progressive waters. I don't remember the falsetto vocals on the previous album; it's like they want to be King Diamond but do not have the pipes for it. The song winds around with dissonance. The falsetto vocals are very pitchy, rather than the sharp punctuations that soar like King Diamonds, which feels like the only way to do it. The instrumental section that ends with is really cool, and leaning into this side of what they do would benefit them. 

The angular nature of the riff that leads into the second song is kind of cool, and if Frank Zappa were playing death metal, that is the kind of riff he might have written. The free-form ambiance they wander off into here is nice. I think going on a path like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, where metal is not the band's sole focus could work, but with their nam,e it feels like death metal is on brand, not that there is anything wrong with their style of death metal just such cool regions they are capable of delving into. They end up in a somewhat more traditional style of death metal but with some sonic embellishments. 

They continue to retain the melodic elements and the angular throb of their sound without resorting to just blasting or pummelling you with a wall of riffage, which is one of their strengths as a band. This means they are writing at times obtuse sections of song that are not hooky but show a great deal of prowess with their instruments that borders on jazz. The falsetto vocals are often so sharp that they are out of key, making them the least appealing aspect of what's happening. The last song starts off with a whispered vocal against an acoustic passage that sounds like they are trying much harder to sound like King Diamond, but are missing the point that it is the darkness of his sound that is at the essecene of what he does more than the quirky theatrics. 

A more pressing question becomes, can they hold my attention for a 16-minute song? It takes 11 of those minutes before we are wandering through an abstract prog jam. In the end, there is a great deal of spectacular sounds but not much in terms of things to hook you into this so much so that by the time the last song finished, the stream looped it back around to the first song, and I could not tell.But there is impressive playing and I like the jazz sections so I will give it an 8.  

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BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS : "The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me "

 

This band from New Zealand took the 8th spot in our 2021  Top 10 Death Metal albums list. Now Blindfolded and Led to the Woods is taking their experimental sense of sonics further by releasing their first concept album that explores obsession. The technical ability of the band is put on display as they use many of death metal's brutal trappings to attack your ears, but have an eerie sense of atmosphere that balances this out. The vocals are roared in a commanding manner that finds the lyrics more articulated, even when dropping into more of a growl. There are a few different vocal colors on this song, all of them aggressive. 

On the second song, there is more of an assault, punctuated by moments of melodic atmosphere, with deliberate moments of syncopated hammering to keep it from being a full-blown attack. The momentum the song builds bled over into "Red", which  I only noticed was a different song as it took on a more thrash riffing style, and the vocal accents became more focused. This gave the song more groove, making it catchier than the previous song. One shift in songwriting is the more compact style that keeps everything around the four-minute mark, with the only exceptions being the longer opening and closing songs. 

"Compulsion' is the lead Single from this album, and it is very rabid in its aggression. The only shift towards being accessible is the less growled vocal style, though this creates a more hardcore-influenced feel. The aggression is only reinforced on the title track, which uses a similar approach to the previous song, but with slightly more atmosphere. The drumming is stellar on this song, though you can never get too excited about the drumming on a death metal album, as being a monster is a job requirement for the genre, more so than other genres. 

At a minute and a half, " Snow Angel" is grind-core in length. They get a ton of riffs crammed into it. "Black Orchids" is one of the album's most perfect compositions in how it manages to be heavy, without conforming to the death metal formula, while still delivering the kind of aggression you want from the genre. Another drumming spectacular that takes it to the next level. More of the hardcore shouted vocals appear here as well. "Tomtem" is the first song to show any influence from a classic death metal band; this time it's Morbid Angel in the powerful throb of the commanding riffs. Where it differs is how the drums are providing a faster barrage underneath it all. I like the darker, more dissonant place this one arrives at. 

There is also a creepy throb that breaks up the attack they bring with "600 Grams." The ebb and flow of how the verse breaks things up shows the mature approach to songwriting on this album. The last song opens more melodically and purposefully.. Over the course of this song, they cover a great deal of ground that explores all sides of their sonic self that they have displayed thus far. The unexpected inclusion of female vocals feels like it almost takes a hard left turn to become not just another song but another band. However, the growth and nuance maturity has granted them as songwriters, tempering the brutality and dissonance to make this a remarkable step forward, showing what death metal can be.I will give this a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. This album drops on October 10th  via Prostehtic Records. 

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IGORRR : "Amen"

 

One of the most appealing things about this project is the ability to blend harsh electronic elements with organic instrumentation and find its unique groove. Mastermind Gautier Serre is experimenting on a broader scale with this album. He summarizes it well on the first track before more classical elements are introduced on "Headbutt," which finds a straightforward massive metallic chug taking over. Death metal is the primary mode of attack when things go in a more metal direction. Operatic vocals still soar to contrast the guttural vocals. 

"Limbo" flows in the more classical direction, using the glitched-out out heavier parts as dynamic accents rather than being a focal point. "Blastbeat Falafel" has more Middle Eastern grooves that work best for these guys, making it one of the strongest songs so far. It builds into a more trashy attack as a dynamic shift. "ADHD" is a dub-steppy electronic groove. It does go into a more organic section briefly with a choir and harpsichord to contrast things. "Mustar Mucous" flips the script and is a heavier song that still carries an electronic groove amid the shifting spastic currents that are not something unheard of for this project. 

"Infestis" is the first song that has a darker feel to it. It stomps with a more predictable metallic weight. Despite its swinging groove, this feels like a progressive death metal song. "Ancient Sun" has a more flowing groove to its slight trip-hop feel. "Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism" starts off with a more classical feel before going into the heavier side of what they do, which comes with the glitched electronic beat. "Silemce" closes the album with a more solemn mood. It feels like the electronic elements deconstruct it as they add a harsher tone against the elegance. I will give this album a 9.5, as what they do is so impressive, and still very them, but it is streamlined into three distinct moods which are now expected rather than their previous work, which brought more of an unexpected feel.It drops September 19th on Metal Blade.  

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Death is June -Fallujah : "Xenotaph"

In keeping with my goal of covering every aspect of the genre, here is some progressive death metal that is more on the atmospheric side.  Guitarist Scott Carstairs is the only original member of this band. The last album I reviewed by them was "Undying Light," which I felt played it safe and moved in a more metalcore direction. Things are in a more progressive direction, though it does sacrifice some of the heaviness, and over-produced layers of vocals create an Opeth sound when they would be better served following the path of Cynic. Not that Opeth did not redeem themselves with their last album, but even they have been known to get too proggy for their own good. Things flow from the opening track to "Kaleidoscopic Waves," where it all sounds like it could be the same song. Even on the second listen, this happened. Showing a uniformity of sound that feels like they are more focused on sound and acrobatics than writing songs. 

"Labyrinth of Stone" is marginally heavier. But also more melodic, I feel like the production is playing against the heaviness as the guitars sound over-processed, which might be a great tone to play solos with, but lacks dance muscle. They get heavier and a little more interesting with "the Cyrstalline Veil" by heavier there is not a huge sonic shift tonally but more in the deliberate hammering of what they have to work with, and the melodic elements feel less like your metal core tropes. If you are into guitar solos, then I can't imagine why this is not already your favorite band. 'Step Through the Portal and Breathe' is more progressive, but it feels like an extension of the previous song, and they are just jamming in a more Devon Townsend direction. 

Some sounds are being made for "A Parasitic Dream' none of them adding up into anything that hooks me into what I would call a catchy song, or anything I would feel compelled to listen to more than once. The more atmospheric side of technical death metal stirs to life for "The Obsidian Architect". I like the effects on the creepy Dimmu Borgir-like section of vocals. This might be the album's best song. It conjures a little darker mood, but the album could stand to be darker overall. The title track closes the album, and rapid-fire drums that sound triggered lead the attack.  A thicker, more palm-muted attack would make all of this heavier, but we get what we get here. Lots of solos and jumbled riffs, kinda bores me, prefer what they did on the previous song. I will give this an 8 as they are clearly talented and sometimes fall into cool grooves, but this is not my thing.Out on Nuclear Blast.  

7

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Ancient Death : "Ego Dissolution"

 This is the debut album from this adventurous death metal featuring guitarist Jerry Witunsky is a more recent addition to  Atheist. It's progressive, but perhaps not as technical and shreddy as Atheist. The songwriting is dynamic as they take you on a journey ripe with guitar melody without compromising the grit. It's not until halfway into the title track that opens the album that they go into a blasting speed, and this gives way to a head-banging groove. There are guitar solos that work with the songs rather than becoming a focal point. They put head-banging riffs to the forefront. There is the chaos of early Morbid Angel on "Breaking the Barriers of Hope". When the verses form the riffs gain some swagger and the mood shifts. 

While people made a bug stink over the last Blood Incantation album, and it was good, these guys are taking away the Pink Floyd parts and jamming out over the cool 80s death metal sections that really slapped. "Breathe Transcend" Is more melodic and technical than the first two songs, though here technical does not mean a bunch of notes crammed into each measure as much as it means how they shift seamlessly from riff to riff. "Journey to the Inner Soul" slithers with groove. Their bassist Jasmine Alexander is very tasteful when it comes to holding things down. She is not trying to compete with the guitar's place in the song.

" Journey to the Inner Soul" is a moody instrumental. Jasmine continues to provide sparse accents of clean singing on "Echo Chambers Within the Dismal Mind" which is an otherwise more feral expression of aggression until things get trippier of the more atmospheric bridge leading into the guitar solo. Her sung refrain returns and this song finds her singing playing a larger role. She uses a re-tone that is a higher alto, to create a more original use of this formula. "Unspoken Oath" is driven by a hookier groove that reminds me of a riff King Diamond might use. 

"Violet Light Decays" ends the album with a darker creeping. It works at more of a throb rather than the kind of break-neck chugs that powered most of the album. When it gains momentum it races with a tremlo picked speed. Not the album's hookiest song, but one of their strengths as a band is that they do not settle with writing two songs that sound the same, so this checks out with that kind of work ethic. At the end of the day, this album serves as an excellent introduction to all the sides of this and is full of hooky headbanging riffs. I will give it a 9.5, if you are a fan of 90s-sounding death metal that thinks out of the box this band is for you. Drops April 18th on Profound Lore.

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Sadist : "Something To Pierce"

 

While Tommy is the sole original member of this band, Trevor has been around since ''Crust" so he basically counts. While these guys are a band whose talents I have always appreciated, I can't say they are one of my favorite death metal bands of all time, though I am impressed by what is unfolding on their tenth album. There are still plenty of jazz-fusion undertones to the songwriting that find the band continuing to excel at a style they had mastered back in the '90s. They also have some pretty hooky metal riffs, rather than just throwing a bunch of math at you like the so-called technical death metal bands of today are prone to do. 

They do more acrobatics on "No Feast For Flies". This does include some melodic passages along with jazzy nuances. They pour on more rapid double bass for "Kill Devour Dissect" before an odd Middle Eastern breakdown sends them off into guitar solos. You can tell they came from the 90s as the snarled vocals have an actual purpose, rather than just being an obligatory layer of growling like many of today's death metal bands. "the Sun God" has more groove as it oscillates between passages of melodic less overdriven guitar, that has more in common with Joe Satriani.  The slinky fretless bass lines add to the grooves unfolding here. 

"Dume-kike" is closer to what you expect from your typical death metal band until it enters a weird atmosphere section. "One Shot Closer" finds a tug of war between their faster more aggressive playing and the melodic tendencies contributed by the stellar guitar playing. The vocals drop into a lower growl for the speedy groove of "The Brain is the Best Past". It has some twists and turns as expected from these guys."Nove Strad" feels like a faster, less grooving version of the previous song when it kicks off. The guitar melody that becomes a solo breaks this up, which is how solos are supposed to work, If Dream Theater wrote a song for a Tim Burton movie it might sound like this last song. Overall this is a great death metal album that blends what they are known for with some new grooves, I will give this album a 9, and see how it grows on me. 

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Blood Incantation : " Absolute Elsewhere"

Blood Incantation pushes the bounds of death metal further into prog on this album, as it opens in a more Rush-like fashion. The drummer makes himself known right from the start. Granted death metal drummers have to be good to cut it, but this guy might be one of the best metal drummers in the game right now.  They are students of 70s prog for sure, as it floats in on a cloud of weed smoke and science fiction. The Moog solo brings a Pink Floytd feel that is only pushed further to the dark side of the moon but the phrasing of the guitar solo. 

Before we go further here is what is going are here. The album is six songs, but they are being presented as two songs broken up into three pieces, if you played this in shuffle mode you would not be confused. The second song is more krautrock it wanders on for a bit building up into a metal climax 
for the last minute, but it is a pretty kicking riff so it's all good. The third song has an angular riff that grinds with the machine-like shifting heard on post-domination" albums. The blast off with a space-tinged feel to the rapid-fire drumming. It is not a bass mix so it's not really dark, but very precise. It wanders into tribal drumming and exotic instrumentation. Sung vocals also surface here to give things a Cynic feel. 

If you followed what I told you earlier the 4th song is the first song of the "Stargate" section. It's more of an early 90s death metal feel here. The riffs pummel more than groove until they break down into a more melodic section. There is a pretty epic guitar solo on the song. , It does eventually go into a more Slayer-inspired riff. The song after this, goes into a jazzy groove. It eventually weaves to another Pink Floyd-like floating. There is almost a power metal-like feel to the riff of the last song. Though it weaves in a more technical direction. This is before the wandering prog section of this 11-minute song. All of this occurs not even halfway into the song before the more blasting drums kick up. The more grandiose themes return, feeling like something you might expect more from Coheed and Cambrai. From there is of course blasts into a more frantic pounding.. Over all their big adventure pays off as they are much more than a death metal band now, I will give this a 9. 

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ADON : "s/t"

 

There is no denying that this duo is bolstered by Decapitated drummer James Stewart. This aids in the stomp of the band's larger-than-life stomping grooves. The vocals are marginally more diabolical than your standard death metal, Deicide comes to mind in this regard, though they work off too grooving aggression to be black metal. Is there a black metal influence on the mood they are trying to create? Sure but it would be misleading your expectations of this album to paint it as being black metal. The guitar solos pretty much solidify their place as a death metal band. Sure the occasional blast beat crops up but that can be said of most death metal bands. 

Is there more of a storming the gates feel to the second song? Yes. But are the songs driven by a grandiose sense of aggression more than an introspective worship of darkness? Yes, this is what makes them a death metal band and not a black metal band. They do give thins room to breathe and set the stage for an even more epic chug to come. Melody wins out over dissonance, chaos or sorrow. The title track has an almost symphonic cadence to its sweeping grandiose orchestrations, at over 16 minutes perhaps excessively so. In the first five minutes, they have already unpacked a great deal of riff. None are really sticking with me, but they sound good for what they are. Seven minutes in it feels like things break down in such a manner it should be where the next song starts. There are a few blackened bits amid the sprawling entanglement of prog that unfurls. But nothing really sticks to me in a way that makes me want to invest another 16 minutes in the song again. 

"Azimuth" finds the riffs locking into a cool chug that they should have cut to the chase for on the previous song. This gives way to more blasting that is marginally more black metal than other moments that have come close to this sonic shade earlier in the album.  "Axiom" feels like an extension of the previous song if it sped up and decorated with more prog ambitions. Production-wise there is a very massive polished sound to this album so they are doing what they intended here. They close the album with an 11-minute epic, which seems excessive considering how the other long-winded song did not feel like the best investment of time.  This song however feels like it is jammed out more organically and makes sense rather than extra sections piled on to the point of excess.  I will give this album an 8, as there are strong moments, I am personally not a fan of some of it's excesses and feel other strengths could have been more focused on, but there is a demographic for what is happening here and the band made the album they sought to make so it works in that frame of reference. 

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Death is June - White Stones : "Memoria Via"

 

Having covered their previous albums we are excited for a third one as it will assuredly mean great guitar playing with a progressive touch to their take on melodic death metal. Right from the start Opeth bassist Martin Mendez is bringing exotic chord progressions. Even when the growled vocals come, there is more of a rock tone placed back further in the mix. Perhaps because this album is done in his native tongue, so he did not want that fact as prominent. It's way more progressive than the first two albums bringing them much closer to where he left off with Opeth,. It does get ambitious in the maze of twists and turns by the third track, though is still an interesting listen thanks to the prominence of riffs to hook you back into it. 

"Zomba D Orun" is a break from the more guitar-centered song into an experimental jazz-like instrumental. Almost like something you would hear on an early King Crimson album. Then with "La Ira" they ventured into a more angular grooving song, with plenty of room for the guitar to get flashy at the corners. The guitar solos are always a high point on their albums, and this one is no exception this is coming from someone who wants to know you are capable of doing this but doesn't like excessive shredding. They are handled in a manner Robert Fripp would approve of here. "Somos' is a subtle jazzy interlude, that is very nuanced. 

This album is not heavy but uses metallic elements to add a more aggressive touch. It is more thoughtful than it is dark. They are masters of dynamics, making this a graceful rollercoaster ride that glides instead of jerking you with jarring arrangements. This is a stark contrast to the new Malignancy album I just reviewed, which crammed this album's entire number of time signature changes into one song, making it a more abrasive listen. These guys can shred rings around Malignancy, but choose not to do songs and the songs benefit from it. "Grito Al Silencio" taps into both a more death metal-like sound and further explorations into jazz. Cools sounds and ideas even if it is not the most focused song. Though death metal fans win out on this one as the vocals commit to a more commanding growl. 

The progressive side of the band is where the groove comes from which gives wider audiences something to bob their heads to which is why Tool has a broader fan base than Cannibal Corpse. His time in Opeth, who certainly have grown from being just a death metal band has taught him this lesson. As the bass player, he knows this central role of groove.  The last song is more of an instrumental outro, sounds nice, but aside from the context of the album not something you want to listen to out of this context. Regardless the interludes add nice color and remind you of the art of the album, I will give this album a 9.5, as it once again blends a flawless mix of metallic energy to prog, though it finds them crossing over more firmly into prog metal. 

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DÅÅTH : "the Deceivers"

 

After an almost 13-year hiatus, this death metal band has returned.  Eyal Levi is the sole original member, though Sean Z returns to lend his growl to the proceedings. The bigger more grandiose sound of this album is largely due to the addition of Jesse Zuretti who handled the orchestration, synths, and some additional guitar. Obscura guitarist Rafael Trujillo is also adding to the guitar fold. This album features a whos who of guest guitar spots from modern metal bands ranging from Ice Nine Kills to Archspire. Around here we place minimal emphasis on guitar solos, so not going into a breakdown of them for this review. Instead, we are focusing on the songwriting, things like hooks and dynamics. 

The first two songs play to the strengths that this band has showcased over the years by using grooves to display their technical prowess, rather than having their chops as the focal point. This album is more progressive and technical than past releases. Metal has changed a great deal in the decade they have been gone, and in some ways it has stayed in the same. They are aware of this fact , though balancing out what might appeal to fans of today's progressive or technical death metal, they also have catchier more groove-oriented songs like "The Silent Foray".  It also marks the second time on this album I notice Sean dropping from a growl into a more spoken section that is dripping in effects. It works to create more sonic colors, even if they are nuanced. 

Some of the more symphonic sections remind me of Dimmu Borgir without the black metal. Upon first listen, this element might take a few listens to grow on me. They have certainly employed synths and electronic elements in the past, this album just takes them to a more cinematic place. "Purified By Vengence" almost reaches back to the kind of grooves that infected their first album. This also makes it one of the album's strongest songs. It balances the head-banging riffs and the more virtuosic spectacle the new lineup leans toward. 

"Deserving the Grave"  splits the difference between the two polarities this album is pulled toward and should appeal to the wider spectrum of metal heads. The waltzing melody that haunts the background is what kept me engaged. While for the bulk of this review, I have not mentioned guitar solos, the one at the end of "Deserving the Grave' is hard to ignore, and if you are going to play a metal solo then that is the way to do it.  The last song is pummelling enough, and all the sounds captured here are well executed, it is however not the hookiest song of the album, and the vocals do not feel like a crucial element of the song. But the guitar heroics balance things out to where this might go unnoticed, if not given the scrutiny of repeat listens. I will give this album a 9, and see how it grows on me, it is impressive and the next logical step in Levi's creative vision given his classical pedigree. Fans of the band should rejoice as it will live up to expectations. There is an entire generation of young teenage metalheads, who were not old enough for the band's last album, so time will tell how this album sits with that demographic. 

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SHADOHM : " Through Darkness Towards Enlightenment"

 Formed from members of some of Poland's most noted metal acts such as Decapitated, Vader, Hate, and Antigama, they make an amorphous metal machine that churns with a grooving darkness. Progressive death metal might be the most fitting label to slap on these guys. They use clean vocals on the chorus and primarily seem to be intent on venting their aggression at you. They hit you with a more djent-minded groove with the riff for "Blurred" which is also haunting in its dissonance. The sung vocals on the chorus work well. 

"Fair Weather Friend" drops into a more atmospheric middle section in a manner that brings Amenra to mind before the spoken word section. Things kick back in with a renewed aggression. The growled vocals are always convincing they just feel like they mean more business here. There is a similar pulsing stomp that dances through the vibe of most of the songs, this can be noticed on "Ripped Apart" it works in the same manner, but does not feel like it flows in the same way as the previous songs. Perhaps this is purposeful. The blast beats come unexpectedly, but in no way are these guys a black metal band,as darkness is just a color used not their prime objective. 

They close the album with what is their most melodic moment yet"Towards Enlightenment" falls somewhere in the middle ground between doom and grunge, while a progressive element flows around the groove and makes them more expansive. The vocals have their strongest moments yet on this one as things open up and allow him to really sing to the best of his ability. It is an impassioned display of his pipes for certain. I will give this a 9.5, it is not what I normally listen to as the prog metal / djent slant can be too technical for me most of the time but these guys balance it out with a darker feel and plenty of emotion. 

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Lord Dying : "Clandestine Transcendence"

 Here is my first album review of 2024. Things are changing for this band as they are now joined by the former Eight Bells bassist and the drummer from Tithe. After a blues-touched melodic intro, they gallop into a more commanding mood, with snarled vocals that still articulate the lyrics. Not only a bass player Alyssa lends her voice to the closing refrain of the first song. This gives things a wider range of sonic colors. Tmost the second song proves their intents are most focused on creating metal. The vocals go into more of a death metal rasp. There is a more aggressive touch to things. Both Neurosis and Mastodon could be cited as influences on the tension their riffs inspire. I do like the darker underpinnings this invokes. They continue to incorporate a death metal attack when they step on the gas. 

"Unto Becoming" is the first song where sung vocals are a focal point. This is done in a dramatic baritone that reminds me a little of Dead Register. He builds this into the more trademark scowl. "Final Push into the Sun" is more of a thrashing affair, which does not feel like it plays to the strengths of who they are as a band, as a ton of bands already have this sort of thing covered. The proggy middle section works well but could have been employed in a song that fully realized who they are as a band. They do employ some cool sounds, and I enjoy the actual singing, as well as the melodic guitar solos. "Dancing on Emptiness' is similar though less thrashing and the formula that feels like it is being established here, makes this feel like they are a proggy sludge version of Tombs, using almost gothy explorations of shadow to juxtaposition the metal meat of the songs. This works for me since I like things darker. I could even stand to have dialed back a smidge for some of the more grandiose sections. 

When they go into the more death metal mood of "Facing the Incomprehensible" things flow in a more effective direction as it feels in line with what they do, and darker dynamics flow from it almost like Paradise Lost. It is actually one of the album's most impressive songs.  "A Bond Broken by Death" finds it hard to think of these guys as a sludge band since the progressive elements are now taking center stage. Highly melodic, but not really that hooky, it still is an entertaining song. It almost makes me think of Pain of Salvation in places, when it borders more on rock.  There is a more melancholic Pink Floyd feel to "Break in the Clouds". It reminds of me mid-90s European metal. It builds really well with the drums delivering the goods here. 

They go with a straight-up death metal feel on "Soul Metamorphosis" that has enough angular tension to keep things going in the right direction of weird.  To contrast there is more of a soaring goth feel to "Swimming in the Abscence" that is counterbalanced with a black gaze-like energy in the background. They find things at a similar sonic space with the closing song that blends the moody baritone croon against the backdrop of a more black gaze influence brand of metal. This works really well, and while this is a more thought out and polished effort that might find some screaming sell-outs, I think it is the next logical step pf growth for the band and will give this a 9.5. The album is being released on MNRK Heavy on January 18th. 

Horrendous : " Ontological Mysterium"

The Philly death metal band is unleashing their much-awaited fifth album. Having reviewed their past two albums here the bar is pretty high as those earned 9's. The two- minute opening track is more of an intro. "Chrysopeia" is the first actual song that finds Horrendous extending themselves further into more of a jammy progressive, that has a more organic feel than what they did on "Idol" last time around. There are clean vocals placed at unpredictable points in the song. I appreciated guitar solos, but not someone normally impressed by shredding, take that into consideration when I tell you the guitar solos on this album improve the songs. 

These guys said they wanted to get back to a place of 80s and 90s metal, and that can be felt on "Neon Leviathan". It has a rawer more thrash like energy to it with the bass driving things forward in an aggressive manner. It's not until the end of the song that they begin to use their space age tricks. Things switch over into a more jazzy groove going into "Aurora Neoterica" which is really only an interlude leading to "Preterition Hymn".  It works off a slithering death metal groove until the melodic middle section lets things simmer down til the end. "Cult of Shaad"oh" has a hooky mid-paced groove that is more like Morbid Angel's most memorable moments. The vocals are more dramatically exclaimed when not snarled.  The moshy hookiness of the riffs is where the are excelling on this album. Sometimes this does give things a more Megadeth like groove in the manner the technical guitar playing is balance out in order to create something that sticks to your ears. 

The title track finds them hitting with a more hammering intensity, though this is balanced with an almost jazz- like nuance that recalls Cynic. Though they crunch down harder into the riffs and double bass than Cynic has. They close the album with "the Deathknell Ringeth" which carries more menace in it's snarls. The vocals are more aggressive throughout this album, but perhaps this most with the anguish from which the are screamed on this one. The fake-out ending is really well done. There is not an area this album does not excel at. In a year where there has been some really stellar death metal releases , this album tops even those. It drops the 18th of August on Season of Mist, and if you are a fan of death metal you owe it to your self to give this album a listen. 

Death is June - FLESHVESSEL :"Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed"

This band's full length finds them as Chicago's death metal answer to Agalloch. It opens with a great deal of symphonic flair, and finds them jamming passages out with violins. This puts them in a very unique position when it comes to death metal. The grandiose outweighs the aggression on the opening track, but they do come snarling back. The vocals go from a blackened sneer to the more resonate growl of death metal. There are three interludes on this album which I am not covering for the purpose of the review and just focusing on the actual songs. 

The second songs finds them getting heavier and while it's an expansive eleven and a half minutes in length. In many ways it feels like they are going for a more atmospheric take on what early Opeth did , but with more jammed out craziness. The prog decadence takes about five minutes to kick in, though even at the songs more gutsy moments they are never digging into the kind of thing that say Cannibal Corpse does. Flutes and whispered poetry start off the more atmospheric path that "the Void Chamber" starts off on. When things build up for the vocals to come in, they arrive like a manic ghost howling into the night Cascades of guitar battling against a piano piece collides under it all. Four minutes in they finally get more aggressive. Then it ebbs back into jazz. 

They close the album with a more death metal minded "Eyes Yet to Open". It does not remain at the in your face hyper aggression normally expected from death metal for long. There are grandiose operatic asides, and a good deal of blasting firing under the buzz of everything. The song floats off into ambiance at the end, before meandering back to life thanks to the pondering synths. Violins chime on this in a more mournful fashion. This album was a unique experience which I appreciate.  I will give it a 9, as the originality and musicality of it puts it above their peers, who are unknown to me at this time. This is being released on I Voidhanger Records. 

Death is June - the Zenith Passage : "Datalysium"

 

This Los Angeles progressive death metal, rides the line without being to technical for me. They do this by creating grooves within the math of the sinewy riffs they hit you with. Lyrically you can make out what is being growled , and it is somewhat interesting. The glitchy arpeggiation that is heard in things like the more chaotic forms of djent is used on the second song. But their playing and sense of arrangement still sets it up to be palatable to my ears. Granted I am also a huge Frank Zappa fan so I am up for a challenge as long as their is catchy songwriting involved and not just masturbation. Both the guitar and bas become very rubbery in how they bend around the drums. 

"Lexicontagian" seems to have some interesting perspectives that are going fly right under the radar. When the sung vocals some in things have gone in a more Cynical direction. The have a jazz like precision to their playing I appreciate. "Synaptic Depravation" is like Imperial Triumphant if they were less weird and more into guitar solos. "Deletion Cult" finds the blistering fast technique losing it's luster as the overall sound begins to conform to genre norms. There is tighter syncopation to "Divinertia 1". The bass bounces around how the guitars and drums are locked in.  The dry mid ranged growl could use some variation by this point as the sung vocals have yet to reappear to break things up. The part two of this song does nothing that different, maybe backs off marginally to allow for ambiance. There is a heavier stomp that it builds into, but this is death metal and heavy should always be the expected destination. 

"Automated Twilight" has enough sonic variation to make it interesting. The effects on the vocals leading into the song works well. The sung vocals return but are not as compelling the second time around. The title track that closes the album finds, the synths coming up further forward in the mix, while the rest of the bands stays in line with their mission statement. I will give this album a 9, though it is not what I am going to click on first to listen to when it comes to death metal, I appreciate what they put into this and find this album is everything thing they intended, so fans of technical death metal should eat this up.

Gorod : "the Orb"

 

This band's reputation plays against it when it comes to sparking my enthusiasm in checking them out. When I hear the term tech-death or praises regarding their technical prowess it is normally a turn off. This is deceptive as the first song is pretty much just ultra aggressive black metal, with groove and thrashing dialed up. Maybe the French just do this sort of thing differently. Midway into the first song I hear hints of this sort of thing, but nothing that is a deal breaker. Are the guitar solos shreddy? Yes, but well done and the album is well produced.  There is lots of tight chugging , but nothing telling me they see the songs as a bookend for masturbatory playing. The longest song is still under seven minutes which lets me know they are willing to use restraint. 

Granted they keep things pretty brisk, sometimes at an outright racing BPM. The rasp of the vocals snarls in a feral cadence that keeps up with the music. Marginally obligatory, so something I will listen for is how the vocals contribute to the music. The first outwardly proggy moment is midway in the second song, and works really well. It bounces not unlike 80s King Crimson. The title track has more of a rock groove to it. It still winds around the more battering angular passages. There varied shades of vocals some more growled other spoken with a sing song cadence. "Savitri" feels like it takes all the elements we have heard from the first three songs and jumbles them up to create a song. There is nothing wrong with the song, it just finds the formula emerging. The melodic clean guitar passages feel like a predictable way to set up the solo. 

"Breeding Silences" finds them rapidly chugging around a maze -like arrangement. It is beginning to wear on me now five songs in, and blitzing blur or temp shifting riffs, with not enough hooks and melody to balance it out. By the time we get to "Victory" I think I have gotten the memo that these guys can play fast and I am less than impressed. Not matter the dizzying manner they try to throw more notes into the mix, it is not memorable when they indulge themselves in this manner. "Waltz of Shades"  is more deliberate , at least at first, which helps distinguish this song from the other blazing riff collection that blurred past my ear. There is more nuance with this one. The need for speed is eventually indulged as I should have expected it to. The guitar work dazzles but has more form and function. 

"Scale of Sorrows" has a little groove to it but most of that gets washed away in the blitz of speed. Two minutes in there is a cool riff, but the rule here is .. cool riffs alone does not a good song make. The end the album with a cover of "Strange Days" by the Doors, while the Doors would have hated this, I like it and think they take what they do and still manage to capture the feel of the song though it is not as dark. I will give this album an 8.5, not really my thing, but still managed to grow on me. If you are into tech death this album might be a 9 for you, but in terms of what I am listening for here I think an 8.5, is pretty generous and earned for winning me over.

Red Rot : "Mal de Vivre"

As a fan of Ephel Duath, I do not require much convincing to check out a band with two of the former members, namely the guitarist and vocalist. The first song is a dark dissonant wonderment that marries drone to progressive embellishments as the drummer who is from the Botanist uses jazz like precision to dance around the throb of the song.  "Undeceased" finds the band beginning to remind me of Meshuggah , though not following the djent path due to their explosive nature. More in how the bark of the commanding vocals sit above the chaos oozing from the riffs that undulate beneath them. There is a great deal going on that took me a couple of listens to gather my thoughts on. I like the sung vocals going into "Near Disaster" as it sets this band apart as more of an entity unto themselves than when the snarling barks come in. 

I was over thirty seconds into "Everlasting Creature" before I realized this was not the previous song. It does take a more conventional metal approach in its attack. I prefer how things get darker and doomier on "After the Funeral" which includes the vocals sung more melodically. They reach an almost My Dying Bride like place with it.  To have progressive tendencies, the songwriting is not sprawling and very compact, hitting you with quick punches of hyper aggression sometimes under two minutes. The sung vocals once again keeping "Greatest Failure" from sounding like a Meshuggah tribute, though musical the riffs on this one ow more to older Morbid Angel. They grind with a machine-like grit against angular patterns. "Behind the Secret" . The more melodic tendencies of the band come out on "Conversations with the Demon". It does grind down into some heavier riffs, but the darker mood leaves breathing room for them. Not all the songs embrace the fresh air approach, with "Dualism" " a more straight-ahead metal grinder, though it's under a minute long. "Emotional Neglect " picks up where it left off it just pounds for longer.

The darker more dissonant songs are preferred. They can do this while still being full of metallic bombast, as heard on "Gruesome Memento" as the drummer is really off the chain with his fills. The second half of the alum doubles down on heaviness. They pound hard with the writhing riffs on " Dishonorably Discharged".  Three of the songs in this vein are all under two minutes. The seems to circle death metal and sludge the most as genres they sonically pull from. The vocals hard core syncopation keeping them from just being a death metal, but death metal is the broad net they would fall under. The last track is just a synth outro. I will give this album a 9, I look forward to hearing more from these guys as despite the Meshuggah like vocal approach at times, they are doing something unique. This album drops on Svart Records August 26th.

Death is June -Inanimate Existence: "the Masquerade"

 If you are hungry for death metal guitar heroes, this band has you covered. Normally the more technical and progressive sides of death metal can feel to clean and wanky for me, but these guys have all the guitar spectacle you might want but are doing it in a way that is very tasteful and blends jazz in. They are more aggressive and less creative on the second song, the speed of their attack being more of the focal point. The guttural growl of the vocals has a purpose even here. The sweeping guitar solos rain all over the second half of the song. I feel they did this in a manner with more soul flowing from it on the first song. The more technical aspect of the second song finds some of that soul sterilized out. 

"The Masquerade" wrestles with itself as there is a flurry of furious speed, then they are making even more interesting guitar melodies with other atmosphere haunting the edges of the song. On top of that they still have to squeeze guitar solos in. Midway into the song, their jazz chops come through again. They could stand to lean into some grooves. While playing this fast might impress many a teenager it does not always lend itself to the best song writing. There are hints of neo classical on " Into the Underworld" . Here they guitar begins to make me dizzy When they resolves in the chugs it works better.  For this song to be just under six minutes they cover enough ground to wear the listener out. I was a couple minutes into "Wandering White Halls" before I realized it was not an extension of the previous song.  Telling me that there is a uniformity emerging even as they indulge in the pretense of being progressive. Their strength being the weighty chugs that anchor it amid the wanking wandering. 

They lock into more of a groove on " Return to the Dream' . They find a head banging groove to root the song it and color it with more exotic guitar phrasing.  "Hear of the Inferno" only has a few more tricks up itself than the bulk of mainstream modern death metal. The guitar is tasteful for a genre that celebrates instrumental excess. "Ending the Ritual" follows a similar formula to the previous song , but it is also faster and heavier.  I will give this album a 9, what they do is impressive and while I normally do not like what they do as far as the technical aspect they have refined it in a manner that is not over produced and still has the needed edge to it. 

 

Death is June -Hundred Headless Horsemen : "Apokalepsia"

 This is the fourth death metal band I have reviewed from Finland this week, I know we are in death metal month, but they are going to blow Sweden of the map if they keep it up at this pace for 5 more years. Of all the bands this one might be the most different. There are progressive elements in the atmosphere being kicked up here. The overt battery of ear drums is perhaps dialed back a little, but they are making some beautiful dark music so it works for me. Which says a lot considering the first song is over 11 minutes long and I am normally not a fan of opening an album with a long song.  When they begin to work in the angular progressive elements in a more overt fashion on the second song, it is not an obtuse exercise in over indulgence , but something that serves the song and engages. Does it push the limits as far as what we might define death metal as ? Yes but isn't that the point ? 

There are some moments on this album where they bust out straight up rock riff and jam them the fuck out which I can really appreciate.  "Breath of Death" might be the album's least death metal song as the gallop that drives the bulk of it owes way more to classic metal . They pick up where they left off there on "Echoes" which is a darker more death metal infused song.  There is more of an epic charge to "Spleen". It reminds me a little of Opeth .  Some of the more deliberate and aggressive groove might dig in a little more like old Mastodon. So melodic progressive metal is what they do , death metal being more of a dynamic they go to rather than just being able to be filed neatly into death metal to define who they are as a band . 

Things get even more melodic on the last song "Cataclysm". Cleanly sung vocals drift in and take things back to more of a 70s prog vibe. Midway into the song things actually get metal and take on a more aggressive chug while the vocals coast over it .  Not the album's strongest song to end with, but it works . I will give this album a 9.5, not what I was expecting and way more prog  than I bargained for , but really well done and look forward to hearing what the future holds for this band .