March 2020 Feature Release - The Revolution Edition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH9tLxAHRaE&list=PLjF-6RKNqqVq1qqxey1HdiyY-yXGmYwEWIt's now March which of course means that we'll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we're asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter.   

This month's feature release for The Revolution is 2008's second album from Minneapolis deathcore outfit After The Burial entitled "Rareform". It's one of the most respected releases for the entire deathcore movement & I think that some of you scary kvlt underground types might be surprised by its appeal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH9tLxAHRaE&list=PLjF-6RKNqqVq1qqxey1HdiyY-yXGmYwEW

I can really appreciate this one, especially since I normally don't care for Deathcore. There's some really technical and progressively melodic stuff in here, the transitions are great, the harsh vocals are well done, just an overall well done product. Some of the more Djent-like chugging sections miss their mark, like in the middle of "Rareform", and some of the riffs really lose their way in "Aspiration", but it still sounds heavy and even straight up nasty at times. This album seems to use all the bits and pieces of Metalcore, Death Metal, and Djent in a way that works really well for them, as well as sprinkling a bit of progressiveness on top of it. It's not going to completely win me over to the genre, but it was enough for me to give it a solid 3.5 out of 5. Nice pick. 

So I've finally gotten around to checking this release out this week & what I didn't realise when I posted it as one of our March feature releases was that there are actually two very different versions of this album. The one pictured above is the original version which was released in 2008 while the one pictured below is the re-release from the following year that also came with a DVD. The re-release has had some of the parts re-recorded after the band were disappointed with the result of the original sessions & this includes a much more powerful vocal performance & a punchier drum sound. I didn't bother with the original version as people seemed to be unanimous with there preference for the re-recording.

On first listen I was immediately taken out of my comfort zone & it took me a while to recover. All of the generic deathcore attributes are here only they're done with incredible professionalism & precision, not to mention an enormous focus on melody which is not usually my bag. While this is certainly a deathcore record at its core, the djent component is very strong too with some of those mind-bending off-beat rhythms being ridiculously well executed. I'd throw melodic metalcore in there too as the regular use of melodeath style melodies is probably the element I most struggled with early on.

The production & performances are almost too precise at times, to the point where After The Burial sound mechanical most of the time. Meshuggah has obviously been a major influence on the band in this regard. I don't really like the vocals which sound like every other deathcore band you've ever heard but thankfully the lead guitar work is utterly stunning & it's often used to colour some of the more generic deathcore breakdowns. The performance of the rhythm section (particularly the drummer) is very strong too.

Overall, I have to admit that I quite enjoy three quarters of "Rareform" with the couple of tracks that I don't like unsurprisingly being the two more popular ones with the deathcore audience (i.e. "Berzerker" & "Ometh" which are the more melodic tracks). I've always been partial to a bit of deathcore when it's infused with a little more ambition & this release fits the mould fairly well so "Rareform" scores a respectable 3.5/5 rating from me.

Here's my short summary:

After the Burial is a great melodic/technical death/metalcore band with intense breakdowns. You know how in France, they refer to sun-rain as "the devil beating his wife and marrying his daughter"? Well...the devil is Meshuggah, the wife is Cynic, and the daughter is Maya (Veil of Maya). And a child was born as a blessing, After the Burial! Yeah, that seems like a somewhat wrong story, but I can't think of any other description to sum this up. I reviewed the remastered version with vocals by Anthony Notormaso, instead of the original vocalist Grant Luoma whom I guess people didn't like. I like the off-beat guitar weirdness by Justin Lowe, who was a real djent guitar hero. Despite the incredible precision of the drumming, it's actually programmed, even in the remastered version. Also, the sound might be a bit scratchy, but it gives a cold feeling that helps the album stay awesome. Rareform is fantastic!! Not only would Veil of Maya fans love this, but also Meshuggah fans. Besides all that djent, it has everything to expect from deathcore and metalcore; quick solos, searing melodies, and earth-quaking breakdowns. After the Burial is a band I would recommend to a lot of metalheads out there! RIP Justin Lowe

5/5