They have established a solid following over the years, but this band has yet to impress me. The past three albums by them that I have reviewed going back to 2013's "Everblack", so my expectations for this album are low. However, for the band, the pressure is on them to prove themselves to their fans as this is the first album since the passing of vocalist Trevor Strnad. Brian Eschsbach switched from guitar to vocals. Fans might be surprised on the opening track that more deliberate melodic elements being worked in are an improvement. It is also evident that Strnad did not possess a unique voice that would not be imitated. Eschsbach puts his snarl where it needs to be to fill the gaps, but even when Trevor was holding the mic the vocals felt like an afterthought rather than a crucial part of the song.
There are plenty of guitar harmonies that capture a Dark Tranquility like Melodeath. This is ten albums into their career, so it only makes sense that the guitar execution in the studio was bound to improve. The rapid tempos they race with make the song feel rushed. Thematically this is about a post-apocalyptic world where people resorted to cannibalism. A concept I might appreciate if the vocals were delivered more articulately. So fans might be pleased that Eschbach spits out the lyrics with the same kind of frantic phrasing Strnad did, though it was likely listed as one of my complaints regarding these guys in the past. Another point of contention is that the pace they play makes all the songs sound the same.
"Cursed Creator" shows a little improvement as the riffs are more deliberate, though the scowl of the vocals does not contribute a great deal. Aside from a few guitar melodies "Asserting Dominion" races by like the other songs. These guys sound less like Cradle of Filth now and more like Dark Tranquility. His voice is less prone to shrieking than Strnad's. The title track is marginally more intentional in its attack and focuses more on guitar harmonies as the drummer blasts away. "Mammoth's Hand" does not just throw out the more melodic elements that open the song to race off into a speed-fueled frenzy. This might make it one of the album's best songs, with the opening track the only one that stands shoulder to shoulder with its writing. If you are into guitar solos then they have you covered on this album.
"Transcosmic Blueprint" reverts back to speed, thus making it less interesting. The last song is another batch of shredded guitars that blast past in a hyper-thrashing blur. There is nothing new brought to the table sonically, as things have at this point fallen into a monochrome swathe of sounds. The ideas are being recycled which is a fitting summary for this album, despite it being actually an improvement musically for these guys and the vocals are a mute point regardless of who holds the mich. I will give this one a 7 which is a step forward for this band in terms of songwriting quality. It drops on September 27th on Metal Blade.
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