June 2022 Feature Release - The Sphere Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us 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. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

For the first time, I (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)) am nominating a feature release for The Sphere, and the one for this month is the 2020 4th album from Pennsylvanian industrial metal/core band Code Orange, Underneath. This is the kind of sound that appeals to fans of both genres, and it restored some of my near-forgotten interest in industrial metal. For a great discussion of modern industrial metal(core), this is the right album here!

https://metal.academy/releases/17904

Here's my review summary:

Metal has gotten a bad rep for its association with Satanism that has gotten people thinking all metal is satanic, just from hearing that kind of theme in extreme genres like death/thrash/black metal. However, metalcore is highly different there, take some of that extremeness and mixing it with hardcore, with lyrics of revolution. Code Orange can be industrial metalcore but it's a lot more. It's kind of a diverse mix that mixes those genres with small bits of thrashcore, sludgecore, grunge-y screamo, and nu metalcore, all in a new powerful cauldron! There's screaming industrial metalcore madness all around, with occasional emotional balladry. Technical industrial metalcore has never reached that high amount of immediate brilliance before, thus further proving Code Orange's omnipresent contribution to the recent metalcore scene. They indeed carry a stylistic stash of diverse styles without a limit!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Swallowing the Rabbit Whole", "You and You Alone", "Cold Metal Place", "Sulfur Surrounding", "Last Ones Left", "Autumn And Carbine", "A Sliver"

For fans of: Circle of Dust, Knocked Loose, Vein.fm

I have some time for this album, despite finding some sections to be a little more commercially accessible than I'm comfortable with. It's very much a combination of metalcore & alternative metal with the industrial elements layered over the top. In fact, I'm surprised that it's not already in The Gateway actually as the the alternative component is easily as strong as the industrial one in my opinion. There's plenty of alternative metal & even Linkin Park/Korn style nu metal in Code Orange's sound with a number of tracks that have nothing to do with metalcore whatsoever. "Underneath" doesn't exactly have that cold mechanical atmosphere you would usually expect from a record that's tagged as industrial metal though. I guess you could say that the industrial elements are used more superficially & are layered over the top of Code Orange's base alternative metalcore sound but they're significant enough for a primary nonetheless in my opinion. I agree with Saxy's assessment that they could have better combined the melodic & aggressive extremes to their sound instead of presenting the two separately but Code Orange's most significant weaknesses are that they haven't got the hooks to compete at the elite level & also lack a bit of sophistication at times. They certainly know how to present a crushing metalcore riff or two which can't be a bad thing. 

For fans of Northlane, Motionless In White & Loathe.

3.5/5