Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Nora, named after Samantha Mathis' character in Pump Up the Volume, was formed in 1996 and released a few EPs including a split EP with The Dillinger Escape Plan. I checked out one of those EPs Theneverendingyouline a couple years ago in which the strained vocals by Carl Severson made it unbearable. On the debut full-length album Loser's Intuition, while the style hasn't changed too much, the members' talent and writing has improved, and luckily that includes Severson. No more of that strained sh*t...

This album can still be considered math-metalcore, but the mathcore side has been toned down some in favor of the metallic hardcore of Hatebreed and Earth Crisis. It's all about performing loud and heavy, nothing dramatic. The powerful groove of metal/hardcore is unleashed!

The album starts off greatly with "Wave Goodbye". The band fires away with riffs and breakdowns without ever sounding as repetitive as that EP. "My Bloody Clownsuit" follows as another killer track. "Warthog" has heavy rhythms to please my ears, especially at the end. Then we have another highlight in "Bring It". The band continue to bring their math-metalcore sound with a dash of melody from Undying.

"Nobody Takes Pictures of the Drummer" is another pummeling track, starting off with mid-paced dissonance before some vicious hardcore speed. You gotta appreciate the drumwork Chris Ross, despite nobody taking pictures of him. Then we have "For the Travelers" which is one of the heaviest anthems I've heard from this band. The riffs and tempo practically shapeshift into different forms, even slowing down for the dark effects of Godflesh. Indeed for the metalcore travelers! Now "what about standing up" for "Leadpipe Moment" with its really powerful bellows from Severson!

The title track is where the band starts to lose some steam, but it proves that good metalcore doesn't have to be from later modern bands like Northlane and Like Moths to Flames. "Mudmonster" is another d*mn killer highlight, as drilling as that cover art by Derek Hess. "Kill You for a Dollar" I'm guessing is a re-recording from one of their EPs. The more mathy side there might've been the spark for Iwrestledabearonce later on. However, I feel like it could've been better if it was longer than just under two minutes.

Loser's Intuition is a lot more worth your money than Theneverendingyouline, with better improved talent from the band members. With that said, I should warn newcomers about the chaos that would occur. This offering is good for the experienced....

Favorites: "Wave Goodbye", "Bring It", "Nobody Takes Pictures of the Drummer", "For the Travelers", "Mudmonster"

Metalcore fans who listen to bands like Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall probably don't know about the bands those members were originally in before those fans (including myself) were born. The members of Overcast include Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D'Antonio and Shadows Fall vocalist "male metalcore Rapunzel" Brian Fair. After an 8-year breakup due to lack of the success their peers had, they've reformed and started recording a new album...

Reborn to Kill Again is actually mostly a re-recording album of many of the songs in their first two albums Expectational Dilusion and Fight Ambition to Kill. And of those 13 tracks (14 if including the European bonus track), only one song is brand-new, and one other song is from a different band. A look back into the past, I'd say!

The first track is a two-parter, "Diluting Inertia / Grifter". Now that's how you time-travel into 90s hardcore/metalcore! Thundering riffs and rhythms continue in "Root Bound Apollo". And yes, it's that song that was meant to be for Overcast's then-shelved 3rd album and ended up in Shadows Fall's album Of One Blood. It still remains one of my favorite early-ish metalcore songs with a fast searing Metallica-like solo, alongside the thrashy riffing and vocals. Things slow down in "Seven Ft. Grin" (that's a h*ll of a long grin), as the vocals sound tough and the guitars have heavier layers added. "Filter of Syntax" is kind of a filler track, but it might remind some of Snapcase. The brand-new title track is a strange one, sounding more alternative. If they had a chance to make a 4th album, I hope they go their earlier direction, not like that new track.

Another two-part track, "As a Whole / Two Degrees Below", is a 7 and a half minute epic with a long intro, just like Aftershock's "Prelude to Forever". As a whole, that Overcast epic makes another solid highlight, but it doesn't have the glory of the Aftershock one. "Spun" spins into gang vocals, guitar soloing, and Pantera-esque breakdowns. The destructive "Your (Destructive) Self" has some vocals to remind some of Merauder, and they help with hardcore's lyrical commentary. "For Indifference" is another one of my favorites here. I can't believe how indifferent some people are nostalgia-inducing tracks like that!

We then get an instrumental, "Styrofoam Kill Machine". It probably would've been better with vocals, but it's still quite killer. It's followed by another favorite of mine, "Fates Design". Then "Apocalypse Upon Us" goes dark and lurking without ever reaching the deathcore depths of Winds of Plague. Finally, "Bleed Into One" is one of the earliest songs by the band, the title track of their first demo released in 1992. The gang vocals alongside Fair's yells have a similar vibe the Rollins Band album The End of Silence.

Reborn to Kill Again is for both new fans of metalcore (including myself) looking for older treasures and earlier fans wanting to relive their hardcore memories. If you're wondering where the bridge is between Integrity and Shadows Fall, here it is. A great break from today's heavily modernized metalcore market....

Favorites: "Diluting Inertia / Grifter", "Root Bound Apollo", "As a Whole / Two Degrees Below", "Your (Destructive) Self", "For Indifference", "Fates Design", "Bleed Into One"

So as we all know, Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall are the two Massachusetts leading conquerors of the melodic metalcore scene. However, there were two other bands formed earlier by those two bands' members; Aftershock and Overcast. I don't wanna waste time listing every single associated member, but I will list the ones in this album as the review goes on. Boston, the city the Dropkick Murphys are shipping up to, was already shaping up its hardcore scene at this point before receiving a metal injection right before the new millennium dropped. The band that included future Killswitch Engage guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel recorded and released their second album Through the Looking Glass in 1999, around the same time as another one of the best releases in early melodic metalcore, Prayer for Cleansing's Rain in Endless Fall. While this Aftershock album isn't perfect, it's amazing and essential for metalcore fans to listen to and dropkick some a**!

Through the Looking Glass is a solid offering with all you really need in metalcore within the riffs, leads, drums, breakdowns, and vocals. Everything's so dissonant and diverse, and while there isn't the technical heaviness later metalcore bands would have, it's a strong album to remember. The lyrics and titles seem to center around the adventures of a young girl in Wonderland named Alice (if you know, you know), setting aside the wonderful fantasy for the dark reality hidden beneath.

It's not often a metalcore album starts with a 7 and a half minute epic, but here we are in "Prelude to Forever". Ambient feedback rises before a couple minutes of heavy sludgy riffing and drumming. So basically, the first third of the song is an instrumental. As the vocals come in, the tempo in the riffing slowly increases from mid-tempo to finally reaching a punky thrash pace. Incredible! This is early groove-ish metalcore at its finest, sounding quite heavy without ever having to resort low djent tunings. Fast riffing, catchy hooks, and deathly breakdowns, all in the moderately heavy drop C tuning. What more can you ask for in metalcore? The ambient title interlude is simple yet dark, with some angelic choir. There's more of that atmosphere to end "Jabberwocky" after the song itself progresses through heaviness.

"Traversing the Gap" takes on some deathly tremolos. As with many metalcore/melodic metalcore bands in the late 90s and 2000s, Aftershock leans into melodeath territory and takes the genre's powerful riffing without making it super melodic. "Living Backwards" is more phenomenal, as the bass and drums have a stomping groove aligned with grim leads and chords. Notice I said this album isn't totally perfect in the first paragraph because of the slightly flawed "Impenetrability". It's a mid-paced heavy track, but the drumming sounds oddly timed and the leads sound too screechy. I prefer hearing those kinds of leads from Meshuggah. There's also some clean singing which isn't too bad.

We also have some thunderous riff rampage in "My Own Invention". Some of the more deathly drum blasts occur though a little heavy on the cymbals. Kicking off "Infinite Conclusion" is some start-stop riffing that is a little choppy, but the enjoyable chords made me forget about that. However, that doesn't stop the vocals falling behind the music. I understand if some steam is lost. The outro "Awaking the Dream" is a nice light way to end.

Aftershock was an early developing band of metalcore with not as much recognition as their still enjoyable peers in Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall. Nonetheless, I can enjoy this band's focus on pummeling heaviness as much as those other two bands' catchy melody. Aftershock and Overcast both provided the spark needed for one of metal's most popular genres in the modern era. Remember, Aftershock was Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel's band that would lead them to their more famous one, and you already know what it is. Small reduction of technical heaviness aside, Through the Looking Glass is a truly cohesive experience. One that metalcore fans should own!

Favorites: "Prelude to Forever", "Jabberwocky", "Traversing the Gap", "Living Backwards", "My Own Invention"

Some of you might've heard this band from their industrialized cover of Celtic Frost's "Morbid Tales" for a tribute album. While the idea of industrial death metal with drum programming has been done before to less than desirable results at the time, Inner Thought has done it right in Perspectives...

Formed by guitarist Bobby Sadzak, Inner Thought takes some thrashy death metal from his previous work in Canadian band Slaughter and mixes it together with industrial metal for an interesting combo. The programmed drumming sounds so inhuman and works side-by-side with the electronic keyboards. The end result is what Fear Factory would sound like at that time, if that band didn't drop most of their death metal elements in Demanufacture. All in haunting steel!

"Words" is already the best start of the album, and I have no words to describe it. The next track "Sanctioned Situations" is filled with unpredictability in the riffing and the vocals. For the latter, there's some serene female singing by Mary Giordano, giving the heavy darkness some light. The main vocalist Dennis Balesdent has the ability to switch from deathly growls to blackened shrieks. With that and the melodeath leads, they've gotten a bit of that Gothenburg sound months before At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul. "Bed of Nails" starts off with a gothic synth intro then makes its way into a deathly blend of Circle of Dust and Grin-era Coroner.

"Tortured" is an effective highlight, almost as much as the similarly titled Sonic Violence track. Except it's heavier, more upbeat, and instead of the opening sample being Mozart's "Dies Irae", it's a seductive movie sample. "Observe" has some riffing similar to Zao without ever going as hardcore as that band.

The most f***ed up sh*t in the album is in "Autodogmatic". Dennis attempts to do some rapping at one part, and it really ruins the song for me. Rapping doesn't belong in these extreme albums! Perspectives would've been perfect without it. Luckily that mistake is brushed aside in "Rack of Lethargy". Fast thrashy riffing comes on before some more samples and fun keys. That's what early extreme industrial metal should be! The spooky synth title outro fades away nicely into darkness.

Perspectives is a solid example of death metal gone sci-fi, similar to early Fear Factory. I think Inner Thought has really emphasized the fear in that factory. Any metalhead should get a hold of this and explore what this album has to offer. Of course, you have that d*mn rapping part to blame for lessening the essentiality....

Favorites: "Words", "Sanctioned Situations", "Tortured", "Rack of Lethargy"

I just can't stop thinking about the epic excellence of Hope for the Dying. I've mentioned that their album Legacy is their own Becoming the Archetype Terminate Damnation. This album, Aletheia, the one before that one, is actually what I would consider the symphonic missing link between that BTA album and the one from their early incarnation, The Remnant, even hinting at that band's early 2010s deathly era. Hope for the Dying can break the norms to make something wonderful. Similarly to Mechina's Siege, half the amount of songs each go over 8 minutes, and the last track is a 12-minute epic. And just because that's unusual doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. Now let's pick up where Dissimulation left off and where Legacy would unfold...

With this album, Hope for the Dying has added more orchestral grandeur, enough for me to question why this isn't in The Guardians like Dissimulation. The lengthiness in many tracks comes from the different sections being quite long. It allows the instrumentation to really shine and help the band stand out in the metal and hardcore realms. Their move from the Strike First to Facedown was the right one, not just because it caused a boost in popularity but also Strike First's shutdown a year after this album's release. This diverse cauldron of influences has come from sounds heard in America and Europe, all in different eras. The epic orchestra might be a little too pompous in a few moments, but when they get it right, they get it WAY right! Also the stylistic associations with Becoming the Archetype are so clear that I'm surprised both of those bands have never shared members with each other. Although the name of this album is similar to former BTA guitarist Alex Kenis' main band Aletheian.

The opening track is the epic "Acceptance". You think starting an album with a nearly 10-minute epic is a rarity? Imagine also closing the album with two longer epics! But we'll get to those later on. Adding to this rarity is the high amount of instrumentation compared to the vocals, and this often-unsuccessful move actually ends up paying off, keeping me hooked through and through. A fantastic start to this journey! "Reformation" starts off heavy with the usual growls and screams letting out lyrics about uniting for war, "marching as one, the reformation has begun". The track overall sounds like War of Ages gone orchestral, especially when it's short and straight. "Iniquitous" kicks off with some European neoclassical shredding. Then the lyrics battle against false beliefs, "you almost believe the lies yourself". Lots of epic power despite being a short song!

"In Isolation" begins with what sounds like an Irish Jig, then the rest is their usual metal. The song was released as a single and has its own lyric video. Those lyrics and the music continue the spirit of Becoming the Archetype, leading up to a powerful climax towards the end, "I no longer wish to walk alone". Seriously, you should check that song out! Another example of depth comes in "Through a Nightmare Darkly", the title playing on the idea of seeing the face of God, yet twisting the image into a world of darkness and pain. Quite a poetic message to convey for a 5-minute instrumental track! It fits well conceptually when seguing to the next track "The Lost". The lyrics that maintain the message of the instrumental give passion and motivation to a lost generation, "this is a chance to rise". The great vocals of Josh Ditto ranging from screams to cleans gives him the vibe of Becoming the Archetype's two vocalists, Jason Wisdom and Seth Hecox.

We're heading to the final leg as we check out those longer epics, starting with "Visions". There's nothing new about this track, but it stays strong in the instrumentation and vocals that keep up the European-infused darkness. The cleans also sound similar to European metal vocalists to add diversity to the vocals covering American metalcore screams. A wonderful track for the patient and experienced! It segues to "Serenity", a serene interlude with lovely acoustic guitar. And finally, "Open Up the Sky", the closing epic that is the band's longest song at 12 and a half minutes. It's truly one of the most epic and innovative metal tracks I've heard in my life. Everything's so progressive with occasional hardcore bursts. You have to be really experienced musically and lyrics to understand it all. Then everything ends with distant piano. So legendary!

All in all, Aletheia is only for listeners who can handle metal, hardcore, epicness, and progressiveness all at once. And I am one of those listeners! If the orchestration wasn't too pompous though, I would've added that extra half-star needed for this album to be as perfect Dissimulation and Legacy. Still it is the kind of album you wouldn't typically expect in the modern era. If you can sit through an hour-long album with a few 10+ minute tracks with lots of heaviness and diversity, from beginning to end, you would certainly be one with the symphonic progressive metalcore world. And specifically, the world of Aletheia!

Favorites: "Acceptance", "Iniquitous", "In Isolation", "Visions", "Open Up the Sky"

As much as I enjoy symphonic deathcore, we really need more symphonic METALcore. Metalcore or melodic metalcore would really go well together with the epic orchestra of symphonic metal, and yet that almost never happens. It's always symphonic deathcore! DEATHcore!! DEATHCORE!!! Except for one of the most epic bands around...

Hope for the Dying's official full-length debut masterpiece Dissimulation is an album in which the "epic" label fits in quite appropriately. Before recording this album, the band made a self-titled release that was released as an EP then repackaged as a studio album released via Strike First Records. The band would then be signed to the label's more well-known older sibling Facedown Records. Just imagine Unearth and All That Remains with more progressive structures and Two Steps From Hell-esque orchestra.

The adventure begins with the intro "Exordium" which is the most Batman-sounding intro in a Revolution album besides Make Them Suffer's debut Neverbloom. Then to start the last third of the track, the metal guitars take the stage, rising from riffing to shredding. It makes the perfect transition to "Vacillation" with all its extreme technical speed. The screams and cleans are all in brilliant balance, already giving you all of this album's greatness to come. Then it all fades to orchestra and piano to get you ready for a heavy transition into the next track. "Orison" is another perfect flowing track. Note that all the tracks segue into one another similarly to BTBAM's Colors.

"Transcend" has that TSFH-sounding orchestra alongside some of the progressiveness of Queensryche gone heavier. The orchestra makes its bombastic flow through the heavy guitars, drums, and vocals. 4 and a half minutes in, a shredtastic solo is unleashed by slowing down in glistening melancholy. The sorrow bleeds into "Imminent War" starting with an acoustic intro before blasting into metal once again. "Perpetual Ruin" again has that "epic trailer music gone metalcore" motive.

And then we come to the glorious 15-minute 3-track suite, "The Awakening". Each one has different focus on an aspect, with the title track of the suite emphasizing the piano and strings, the title track of the album adding in some more shredding plus some female singing, and the third part "The Veil Lifted" closing the suite in both melancholy and progressiveness. The most vicious song of the album, "Vile Reflections" blasts away through metal yet again. Then it all ends with "Desirion", starting soft in the piano before the last bit of blasting metal gone orchestral and then wrapping things on a light symphonic note.

Dissimulation may not surpass Trivium's In Waves for the eternal reign of my personal best albums of 2011, but it's still one of the best that I wished I had discovered sooner. The older fans would get a kick of nostalgia while still sounding fresh the newer fans including myself. Orchestral metalcore is a sound that should've caught on a lot more. A must-have for anyone up for something both epic and extreme!

Favorites: "Vacillation", "Orison", "Transcend", "The Awakening" (full suite), "Vile Reflections"

Hope for the Dying has already made history with their self-titled debut EP/album being the first release for Facedown Records' imprint label Strike First since its relaunch. I enjoy this thrash-ish metalcore similar to Shogun-era Trivium and Facedown labelmates War of Ages, though not as much as their more symphonic subsequent albums...

I can understand the confusion of whether this would be considered an EP or a studio album, since it's just a 7-track 36-minute release. While the rhythms and vocals aren't as dynamic or aggressive as their later albums, there are killer shredtastic leads that would carry on into those albums. The riffing from the guitar duo James Houseman and Jack Daniels is also not totally emphasized which explains the reduction of heaviness in this particular release.

It starts with a killer standout in the 7-minute "City of Corpses". Then "A Beautiful Day for Vengeance" begins with one of the heaviest riffs in the release before more of that tasty shredding. It seems like the more slightly forgettable parts of this offering are the clean-sung sections like that of "Into Darkness We Ride".

Some of the best moments of "Our Fallen Comrades" occur in the second quarter of the track. You gotta hear it to believe it! "Where We Are Going We Don't Need Roads" (clearly a reference to the final line of the first Back to the Future movie) has some melodic instrumentation to remind me of We Came as Romans at that time. "Would the Angels Say" fiddles a little too much with the shredding. Then both the riffs and leads really shine as "In Loving Memory" opens.

Hope for the Dying's first release was a promising start to their career. However, the killer shredding would impress me more if the quality wasn't so on and off, though it's mostly on. At least it would pave the way to something more epic....

Favorites: "City of Corpses", "A Beautiful Day for Vengeance", "Our Fallen Comrades", "In Loving Memory"

It's quite a mystery how so many bands can pull off a genre well despite it losing the spark of interest it once had. Vildhjarta is one of the few ongoing bands that can still be considered a true pioneer of a genre nowadays. They started out in the djent scene of the early 2010s alongside Tesseract and Periphery, but stand out amongst them with their own djent subgenre thall. Their perfect legacy has spanned between their first two albums, staying loyal to their fans. And just under 4 years after their second album, their 3rd one Dar Skogen Sjunger Under Evighetens Granar (Swedish for "Where the Forest Sings Under the Eternal Spruce Trees") continues the gigantic brutal drama!

A few pre-release singles came out in the couple years before the album's release, and they continue to show their progressive stamina. Despite the remaining original member guitarist Daniel Bergstrom having left the band between songrwriting and recording, nothing has changed. In fact, this album has some of their heaviest work to date. Serene ambience gets crushed by a hailstorm of devastation.

"Byta Ut Alla Stjarnor Pa Himlen Mot Plustecken" (Replace All the Stars in the Sky with Plus Signs) plays around with some riffing in the intro, as the sun is darkened by an eclipse of downtuned guitar and bass, with the smog of brutality completely blocking out all light, similar to the Minecraft Betweenlands mod. The riffs and rhythms are both atmospheric and punishing. Melody only comes from the ambience. Everything else is an avalanche of heavy technical riffing. And there's more of that in "Tva Vackra Svanar" (Two Beautiful Swans), along with a brief moment of soft beauty in the middle. The end result is an experimental sludgy track like a more downtuned Will Haven. Then we get to a couple singles, starting with "Sargasso". The other single "Ylva" (Eleven) has some melodic ambience while focusing mainly on relentless guitars and drums.

"Dar Mossan Moter Havet" (Where the Moss Meets the Sea) has some progressiveness from Mechina and Protest the Hero without ever going as melodic as those bands. "Roda Lappar, Sota Applen" (Red Lips, Sweet Apples) barely has any sweetness, preferring to go all-out brutal similar to some of the more sludgy tracks by Every Time I Die and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. "Kristallfagel" (Crystalbird) masters the brilliant dreamy djent, while Vilhelm Bladin's vocals stay intense. "? Regnet, the ?" (The Rain, the) has some of the metalcore from God Forbid and Knocked Loose made even heavier and more sludgy.

"Hosten Som Togs Ifran Mig" (The Autumn That Was Taken From Me) has some slight vibes from Bleed from Within. "Viktlos & Evig" builds up the mathy thall further, swinging through progressive intricacy and occasional cleans. "Stjarnblodning" has some Varials vibes bleeding out. The final track "Den Spanska Kanslan" has the last unforgiving riffing throughout this glorious 7-minute epic before letting light shine again, albeit not as bright as it once was.

This skull-crushing offering Dar Skogen Sjunger Under Evighetens Granar is another irresistible album to look out for. It probably would've been perfect if the song titles weren't all in Swedish and having plus signs surrounding each one. Still this is true thall hellfire!

Favorites: "Tva Vackra Svanar", "Ylva", "Dar Mossan Moter Havet", "Kristallfagel", "Viktlos & Evig", "Den Spanska Kanslan"

A decade had passed since the djenty debut album by Vildhjarta, Masstaden, the album that pushed the boundaries of djent just like when Meshuggah invented it in the mid-90s. The long wait for their second album is partially because of Calle Thomer (guitar) and Buster Odeholm (drums) being focused on fellow thall developer Humanity's Last Breath. They still have their perfect groove-ish progressive djent in this next album, the massive 80-minute Masstaden Under Vatten (Seagull Town Underwater)!

While thall can mean anything, I would say it's as evil and strong as Thrall, the World of Warcraft character that inspired the genre's name. This is exemplified by the complexity, atmosphere, and downtuned heaviness that make the subgenre.

"Lavender Haze" makes its immediate entrance with staccato riffing. Enough to make up for Ion Dissonance disappearing after their 2016 album! Starting off a 3-part epic is "Nar De Du Alskar Kommer Tillbaka Fran De Doda" (When Those You Love Come Back From the Dead), sounding progressive and heavy as always. "Kaos2" attacks with its hammering riffing and monstrous vocals. "Toxin" continues on and once again follows the band's unconventional ways including no set structure, destructive riffing, and clean melody only used for haunting atmosphere, thereby maintaining the band's aggressive evolution. "Brannmarkt" (Branded) sounds dark and heavy while twisted through deathly heaviness. The single "Den Helige Anden" (The Holy Spirit) was released two years before the rest of the album, and blends melancholy with polyrhythms.

Taking things to another level is "Passage Noir" with catchiness to go with the atmospheric savagery. Then the 5 and a half minute instrumental "Masstadens Nationalsang (Under Vatten)" (Seagull Town's National Anthem (Underwater)) follows, a highly extended re-recording of a song from the previous album. The riffing can repeat without sounding repetitive, allowing you to let it flow. "Heartsmear" is more dynamic, as the riffing can go from slow and crushing to fast and blasting. The long 7-minute "Vagabond" sets the apocalyptic mood in downtuned chaos. "Mitt Trotta Hjarta" (My Tired Heart) reminds you not to give up on this 80-minute journey, not matter how tiring it is to some.

"Detta Drommars Skote en Sloja Till Ormars Naste" (This Womb of Dreams is a Veil to the Nest of Snakes) is another impressive deep thall labyrinth. "Phantom Assassin" is another short track yet so detailed. I consider the two "Sunset Sunrise" tracks as one. Those two tracks once again break down the walls of conventionality with the talent of each member. The vocals of Vilhelm Bladin, the drums of Buster Odeholm, the guitars of Calle Thomer and Daniel Bergstrom, and the bass of Johan Nyberg, all drifting through these dark djenty waters. The tempo is cranked up in "Penny Royal Poison", sounding so clean and filthy at the same time. The closing epic "Paaradiso" is the band's longest single track at 10 minutes, and there's nothing exhausting about at it all. Dexterous harmonies with hints of post-jazz make another sonic behemoth. And after a brief fade into the background, it all ends with a final atmospheric brutal touchdown, like a world-ending apocalypse.

Masstaden Under Vadden continues Vildhjarta's brutal glory after that decade-long gap between albums. It's like after djent faded from popularity, it was jolted back into memory by the fresh sound of thall. It has opened up dimensions of darkness and brutality that barely any other band could. This is true kaos!

Favorites: "Nar De Du Alskar Kommer Tillbaka Fran De Doda", "Toxin", "Den Helige Anden", "Passage Noir", "Vagabond", "Detta Drommars Skote en Sloja Till Ormars Naste", "Sunset Sunrise", "Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise", "Paaradiso"

Djent has been known as the genre pioneered by Meshuggah, cutting through with its heavy downtuned guitars. It's so heavy and metallic that why Metal Archives doesn't accept that genre is beyond me. The late 2000s and early 2010s was when djent was really taking off beyond Meshuggah with bands like Animals as Leaders and Tesseract. Then in 2011, Vildhjarta (Swedish for "Wildheart") took a more brutal step further with their debut album Masstaden (Swedish for "The Seagull Town", and NO it's not a parody of Mastodon). Those other two djent bands are soft and light compared to this one. Barely any clean singing or riff melody, and no verse-chorus structures... Everything's more atonal, technical, and even sludgy. It's like Meshuggah but even heavier. And thus Vildhjarta have created... THALL!

Masstaden is a concept album that's part of a story that would continue in their second album 10 years later. The heavy intricate music would guide you through the story in all its deep detail. You might be able to get a better understanding if you're patient enough to stay the whole way through. And when everything's fully grasped, you'll be able to find all the beauty and brutality. Heavy rhythms from the guitars and growls often alternate with the soft ambience. There are many songs that stand out in a masterpiece album like this, and when you listen to it all at one go, you won't miss out on the glory it has to offer.

The moment I put the first track "Shadow" on play, I knew I was ready for this massive experience. The next track "Dagger" has a unique unbreakable flow. "Eternal Golden Monk" wastes no time with its seething grooves that prove the band as the f***ing masters of thall. "Benblast" (Bone Blown) is another example of this unique brutality. It really is a h*ll of a blast of thall!

"Ostpeppar" (East Pepper) is the first of a few interludes, this one being so pretty yet pretty eerie. "Traces" pleasantly surprises me with its intricate complexity and djenty variation. Not a single moment can be considered a waste of time. The atmospheric "Phobon Nika" (Fear Conquers) has strong guitar for a short interlude. I like the anticipation of waiting for which riff sounds clean and which sounds brutal as f***. "Masstadens Nationalsang" (Seagull Town National Anthem) is the shortest track, absolutely crushing with the djenty guitar leads. The world really needs more national anthems like that.

"When No One Walks With You" starts off a 3-part epic, going all-out brutal in the grooves. Then "All These Feelings" continues the awesome atonement all the way up to a sweet yet searing outro. "Nojja" is another interlude with epic thall riff-wrath. "Deceit" has more straight groove. "The Lone Deranger" is an incredible closing epic, with some swift tempo changes before the band make their exit.

Masstaden is far beyond what can be considered normal metal. This is thick brutal heaviness that requires full concentration. And in the end, you'll be rewarded with the excellence experienced through the journey. One of the most moving offerings I've encountered, for the patient and experienced!

Favorites: "Dagger", "Eternal Golden Monk", "Benblast", "Traces", "When No One Walks With You", "All These Feelings", "The Lone Deranger"

As I believe I've explained before, symphonic blackened deathcore began in the late 2000s with early Abigail Williams and Winds of Plague and would eventually reach its height of popularity with bands like Lorna Shore and Worm Shepherd. Now can we replace the symphonics with Meshuggah-ish djent and elements of atmospheric doom? Humanity’s Last Breath has answered that question with a big fat YES. The band has continued their exploration into deeper darker caverns that has started with their debut!

The 3rd album Valde (Swedish for "Empire") is another towering part of the band's discography. It's as towering as the spirit-filled tower in the cover artwork and as bleak yet stunning as the artwork itself, as are many other works by that cover artist, the late Mariusz Lewandowski. RIP...

"Dodsdans" (Dance of Death) is the intro that hints at different D-words this album can be described as; dark, deathly, depressive, dissonant, downtuned, dynamic... Then it's the atmospheric yet punishing "Glutton". That song and "Earthless" shall make the most emotionless listener become emotional from this brutality. Next track "Descent" is more percussive alongside technical shredding. The occasional orchestra and choir makes things even more apocalyptic, especially in the black-doom-esque sections.

At the end of "Spectre" is a bit of melody that makes it sound like a Gojira track. Adding to that melody is the sparsely used clean singing, balancing that part with the rest of the song's intensity. Still firing away hard is "Dehumanize". Then "Hadean" continues the band's top-notch talent. The monstrous vocals by Filip Danielsson are incredible as always, flowing with the rhythm. At the same time, riffs are fired through by the guitar duo Buster Odeholm and Calle Thomer. From djenty deathcore breakdowns to drummer Klas Blomgren's blast beats, the violent quest for heaviness rolls on! "Tide" continues the riff-wrath while having the band's own epic post-sludge moment at the end.

The instrumental title track, actually spelled "Valdet" with a T at the end, expands on the atmosphere that then rises to another doom march. Bring things up on front, "Sirens" has more of that heavy stank with uncommon melody here and there. The guitar duo can nicely surprise us with their variety. "Futility" has more of the band's blackened djenty deathcore sound. "Vittring" (Weathering) is an absolutely heavy ending track. You just gotta praise those hammering drums, dissonant guitars, and furious vocals.

Valde proves that Humanity's Last Breath can put all their crushing talents into one plate. Massive brutality all around with some touches of melody. This isn't just thall, this is atmospheric black-doom-infused djenty deathcore thall. Not even the most metal of metalheads would know what the heaviest of all is until they try this one for size!

Favorites: "Earthless", "Spectre", "Hadean", "Tide", "Sirens", "Vittring"

In extreme metal's ongoing reign, many fans are at war for the throne. Their goal is to make the heaviest music known to man, tearing down the walls of conventionality for their original attempts at giving heaviness a new meaning. Humanity's Last Breath might the closest band to the finish line, stunning fans with some of the heaviest and most pulverizing breakdowns and riffs possible. Having already released 3 EPs and one album before this one, the talent and fury the band has is impenetrable and would have all those other extreme metal bands bowing down before them. That's how abyssal this album Abyssal is!

The band's ultra-heavy thall (more brutalized djent/deathcore) sound is so unique. It also leans into downtempo deathcore, the subgenre that might as well be considered death-doomcore and was developed by The Last Ten Seconds of Life and Black Tongue. Whichever genre Humanity's Last Breath are referred to, they increase the limits and impress even the most serious metalheads with their chaotic attack.

"Bursting Bowel of Tellus" literally bursts in with the opening riff, showing that the brutality hasn't withered away since their 2013 debut. There's no doubt those blasts and riff technicality will leave you stunned all the way up to the end. Next track "Bone Dust" has more of the intense violence from vocalist Filip Danielsson's whispers and growls. Everything's so strong and ominous at the same time! "Fragda" slices through neck-twisting riffs and drums. "Abyssal Mouth" is another track released as a single but since revamped. The heaviness really bursts out alongside those haunting vocals by Filip. And we have more of those machine-gun blast beats.

Exploding into your ears like a xenomorph exploding from a person's chest is "Pulsating Black", heavy right from the opening bass pulse. "For Sorg" is an instrumental for who wanting a break from the vocals while staying heavy. "Like Flies" is filled with fast riff darkness and some more sinister vocals by Filip. "Sterile" is good but nothing special.

Another interlude "Being" is interesting, starting off with a demonically distorted audio sample from Jordan Peterson. The expansive "Vanda" displays more of the band's quest for the ultimate heaviness. Each moment is more brutal than the last, with some fast energy added in. The chains of heaviness tighten again in "Rampant" with more technicality in the riffing. The closing outro "Dodgud" wraps it up in total extremeness after a soft ambient start.

The Swedish brutal descendant of djent, thall is held in place by Vildhjarta and Humanity's Last Breath. The latter band's second album Abyssal has given them the right to own the throne of heaviness. They've earned it!

Favorites: "Bursting Bowel of Tellus", "Bone Dust", "Abyssal Mouth", "Like Flies", "Vanda", "Rampant"

Thall is one of the most destructive genres in metal and music in general. This djent subgenre with elements of deathcore/metalcore and even smaller fractions of doom, death, and black metal, is a clear definition of modern extreme metal, and the people in Metal Archives who decide which bands to add must've overlooked this subgenre simply because they hate djent. The founding trio of the subgenre includes Vildhjarta, Reflections, and of course, HUMANITY'S LAST BREATH.

Just the name of this band can induce fear of a catastrophic apocalypse tearing the world apart from the inside, and it fits greatly with the material too. Crushing destruction that you can never escape from, just like a black hole. Darkness and fear are common themes for many metal bands past and present, but they're tame compared to what Humanity's Last Breath can do. The darkness is a lot more massive. Supermassive! The powerful devastation is much more than any other band's attempt at that. It will erase you from existence and bring you back, making an unforgettable experience like none other.

The atmospheric darkness first appears in the "Intro", lasting for a minute. You might think it's boring, but it's just the start of the massive sound it would lead to. The two-track suite "Bellua" is better suited as a full 8-minute epic rather than two parts. Altogether they display the heaviness of the album to come. With "Human Swarm", you can't go wrong with brutality in deathcore and djent. They know how to bust sh*t hard. After a spoken line of "We stop the wind from blowing", then comes a f***ing massive breakdown near the 3-minute mark. A nice surprise for the more extreme 'core listeners. Practically heavier than all that's heavy! Quite hard and evil for the moshpit. Then comes the beastly "Animal", another one of the heaviest tracks here. It's a re-recorded version of an earlier single, and the monstrous fury is so unreal.

"Shoals" speeds things up, sounding closer to standard death metal, maybe even melodeath. Nothing but skull-smashing velocity! Then we lose some brutality in the riffing in "Tellus Aflame". It's not really the best track of the album, but it still rules, and the perfect score isn't affected. "Vultus" is another hard-hitting track. The mix of heavy brutality and subtle melody makes it similar to a less symphonic The Breathing Process. Then there's the short atmospheric interlude "Drone". It's almost like a continuation of the intro that then leads to perhaps the most doom-laden part of the album.

The next track "Void" was released as a single for the album, the first single to not be a re-recording. Although it's quite killer and still maintaining the 5-star album rating, it doesn't represent the slamming might the rest of the album has and make me question its usage as a single. The heaviness returns to full gear in "Anti". Then "Make Me Blind" unleashes the brutal fury one last time. The "Outro" ends it all like it's literally the end of the world. By the time the destructive drama fades out, nothing would remain.

Humanity’s Last Breath has followed in the footsteps of Vildhjarta and made things more moshable and destructive. Their debut marks a strong memorable start to their journey of creativity and apocalyptic heaviness. By the power of THALL!

Favorites: "Bellua" (both parts), "Human Swarm", "Shoals", "Vultus", "Anti", "Make Me Blind"

Re-recording albums can cause some mixed reactions from a band/artist's fanbase. Some enjoy the idea of earlier songs getting a more modern production, while others prefer just hearing new songs. Sadly, we live in a world where people can easily judge something before giving it a try. One other suspicious thing was the timing; at the same time as this release was announced, his former band Helloween embarked on the Pumpkins United tour that saw the return of Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, but not Roland Grapow. Turns out it was a big coincidence, since Roland began working on the project a couple years before that tour.

Not gonna lie, the name of this album PumpKings almost made me laugh. I guess that's another reason for fans' suspicions. All I'm gonna say is, this album is a great way to revisit some Helloween classics, with Rick Altzi's vocals guiding you through alongside the other members. The songs are mostly from Pink Bubbles Go Ape, Chameleon, and Master of the Rings, plus a few other songs Roland has written in his remaining albums with the band.

I can already hear what would influence Masterplan's earlier material in the speedy "The Chance". That track and "Someone's Crying" kick things off greatly. Another gem "Mankind" has been given a heavier treatment, especially considering it's from one of Helloween's albums with the least power metal.

One of the two songs from the least metal Helloween album Chameleon, "Step Out of Hell" is also made heavier while still sounding rock-ish. "Mr. Ego" isn't as quick as much as it's quirky. But then we get into high-gear with another one of my favorite tracks here, "Still We Go". A more crushing track is this one from The Dark Ride, "Escalation 666", filled with the mid-paced heaviness that would shape up some of Masterplan's more well-known material.

Rick Altzi really channels his inner Andi Deris in the powerful "The Time of the Oath". Then "Music" comes on. Originally another metal-reduced track from Chameleon, it was given quite a heavy enchantment and turned into a magical highlight. The vocals here are quite amazing, though I admit that it's almost like if it was covered by a tribute band. "The Dark Ride" is the 9-minute epic in which Altzi really striking through with his vocals, despite not having the same power as Deris or Kiske. The closing track, "Take Me Home" takes away some seriousness, but it's fun hearing Roland pull off some guitarwork from his ex-Helloween bandmate Michael Weikath.

All in all, I find PumpKings a great album yet not the best part of Masterplan's discography. Some songs could've had more magic or could've been replaced with Helloween's earlier classics, similarly to Rhapsody of Fire's Legendary Years. Still it's meant to represent Grapow's era. We should also be grateful for Masterplan's existence that would continue the darker heavier sound he wanted to make since The Dark Ride. PumpKings is for fans of Helloween and/or Masterplan, better if it suits what you really like....

Favorites (one song per original album): "Mankind", "Still We Go", "The Time of the Oath", "Music", "The Dark Ride"

It's always been this band's plan, their masterplan (haha), to create memorable power metal for the new millennium. Roland Grapow has had that plan ever since he formed the band following his ejection from Helloween alongside his bandmate, former drummer Uli Kusch. Several lineup changes later, the only longtime members left still standing are Roland and keyboardist Axel Mackenrott. But with a new lineup, comes the English translation for this album title, a "new beginning"...

Novum Initium introduces members Jari Kainulainen (bass), Martin Skaroupka (drums), and Rick Altzi (vocals), best known for their work with Stratovarius, Cradle of Filth, and At Vance, respectively. In this attempt at representing the band with a different lineup, there are still great strengths while having slight weakness. One upside is, some of the more rock-ish parts are discarded to make way for more of that pure power metal sound, also reducing some progressiveness. The only thing closer to the rock side is the vocals by Rick Altzi, who seems to be more flexible with the sound than Jorn Lande. Still the speed is set aside a couple times for the more melodic and slower tracks.

"Per Aspera Ad Astra" (Through the Rough Road to the Stars) is a brief yet epic intro to get you pumped. It segues to the technical speed of "The Game". A great heavy start! However, I can't stand the sh*tty keys in "Keep Your Dream Alive" which has one of the worst power metal choruses I've heard. Wow, the first ever Masterplan stinker... Luckily, it's made up for "Black Night of Magic", in which the keys sound more magical as the guitar heaviness gets you hooked, similar to Stratovarius at that time.

Next up, "Betrayal" hits hard. Same thing with "No Escape" with its pounding riffs and Altzi's vocal power. There's not much feeling in "Pray on my Soul", though it's still good. Punching through with some keys and their earlier more rock-ish side is "Earth is Going Down" without ever quieting down.

"Return from Avalon" has some new aspects for the band that really feels like a ride to victory without ever going cheesy. They really dominate in that one! Up next, "Through Your Eyes" is the closest thing we have to an 80s-style power ballad. Then at last, we get to the closing title epic, their longest track at over 10 minutes. It's an awesome journey that you just gotta hear to believe!

Once again, I'm not up checking out the limited edition bonus tracks that are more mediocre than the rest. Otherwise, the rating would be as low as what some fans think of the album. Although they were indeed kinda playing things safe, the guitars and keys still rule in most of the tracks (the only exception being that one sh*tter). Basically, the band is just taking a lot of aspects from their earlier albums in a more modest mix. There are more anthemic tracks similar to the debut and much less of their acoustic ballads. Don't expect too much groundbreaking, though I don't see any reason to complain, other than that one d*mn track....

Favorites: "The Game", "Black Night of Magic", "No Escape", "Return from Avalon", "Novum Initium"

He's baa-aack! Jorn Lande made his return to Masterplan in 2009 to help with one more album, a pleasant shock for Masterplan fans. It seems like he and founding guitarist Roland Grapow have settled their differences. They agreed that Lande would save the more rock-ish stuff for his solo project, and the band would continue the power/heavy metal sound they're known for. At least that's my theory, I don't know. But I know his side-project was more rock-oriented and involved Symphony X's Russell Allen, that project being Allen/Lande. Both Allen and Lande would also guest appear in Avantasia's Wicked Trilogy. I'm a little surprised by the amount of people who have heard of Avantasia more than Masterplan, myself included. I've started listening to Masterplan over a decade after I started listening to Avantasia. But now, I get to hear more of the godly singing of Lande, in the 3 Masterplan albums that including him as vocalist.

Roland Grapow and co. were planning to record and release the album in early 2009 before Lande's replacement Mike DiMeo left. The search for a new vocalist that ended with Lande's return caused the album's production to be delayed, and the songs that would've been recorded with DiMeo were made with Lande instead. The album would make one last relatively short delay, moving the release date from April to May, and they made up for it by releasing a preview single. Anyway, Time to Be King is a catchy diverse offering, though it's slightly behind the first 3 albums. The songs may not be entirely the same as in those albums, but they're still brilliant highlights. And if there are any weaknesses, they aren't enough to drag the album way down. And of course, Jorn is the star of the show!

One fast tune to start the album is "Fiddle of Time". Then they lower the tempo in "Blow Your Winds". But everything in the right balance in the aforementioned pre-release single, the melodic "Far From the End of the World". The choruses soar through with a beautiful aura. The background keys help out the melodic majesty, giving more color to the structure. We then get to another well-done composition that is the title track. And honestly, the church bell opening almost made me think this was going to be their own take on Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

"Lonely Winds of War" has more vocal emotion. It's based on the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, turning a classical composition into something both serene and monstrous. "The Dark Road" continues the dark direction alternating between intense and simple. We have some darker rock in "The Sun is in Your Hands" that can actually please many listeners including metalheads, even when it gets soft at times while still heavy.

"The Black One" has wonderful background keys, and the drumming by Mike Terrana marches through in a breeze. More of the band's early melancholy can be found in "Blue Europa" though it gets more intense and upbeat after the intro. The best track of the album that really surpasses the single is "Under the Moon". Everything's so beautiful including background strings, while smashing through with guitars. They can really end it all without having to make an epic! The edition I've chosen to review has the bonus track "Kisses From You", which is fine but more suitable for a musical.

Time to Be King shows that the band can be crushing while also staying elegant. It is an amazing return of Jorn's vocal talents, which would sadly end up being one-off, since he and two other members would leave the band in 2012. Still it's great that bands can be able to strike again with their original vocalist after not being with them for some time. Enjoy this album and say hello to their ol' friend!

Favorites: "Far From the End of the World", "Time to Be King", "The Sun is in Your Hands", "The Black One", "Under the Moon"

The departure of two of Masterplan's greatest founding members was quite a shock for the metal community. People weren't sure if the band would keep going after losing those two talented members. For me, their 3rd album MK II is another perfect offering of power metal, leveling up the speedy heaviness while maintaining the catchy melody. Jorn Lande's replacement is another recognizable vocalist, Mike DiMeo (ex-Riot). He sounds as strong as he was in his former band, with great power in his voice!

Now what about who would replace their songwriting drummer Uli Kusch? He was founding guitarist Roland Grapow's Helloween bandmate. Uli left when Roland refused to pay for songs the former wrote and wrote his own instead. Fortunately, Uli's replacement Mike Terrana is quite prolific and masterful in his work.

The intro "Phoenix Rising" shows the synths rising before guitar melodies enter, marching into the first actual song... The fast speedy "Warrior's Cry" crashes in as the perfect metal anthem to start the action. It is followed by the short melodic "Lost and Gone". Next up, "Keeps Me Burning" is a heavy throwback to their debut with great emotion from Mike DiMeo. "Take Me Over" is more mid-paced, and the chorus is only enjoyable after having enough time to get used to it.

"I'm Gonna Win" has radio-friendly catchy melody. I wouldn't say it's soft, but it doesn't have the heaviness of the other songs, while heavier than their earlier melodic tracks. "Watching the World" has more of the speed and melodic keys prominent in their debut. Very well done! Then they really slow things down in one of the best tracks here, "Call the Gypsy". It's a short and mid-paced yet epic track, with everything from the Helloween-esque clock-ticking intro to Egyptian-ish riffing. "Trust in You" is an odd ballad. While it's not bad enough to affect the album's perfection, the vocals never really get me hooked.

It's brushed aside by this heavy track that I would consider the band's theme song, "Masterplan". It's one of the most awesome songs by the band, pounding through the guitars, bass, drums, and vocals, including everyone chanting the band's name. Epic! "Enemy" has some catchy rock, not the best but still OK. Closing things off is the 7-minute epic "Heart of Darkness" with its eerie Helloween-infused blend of guitars and keys. It's so dark and never having to resort to anything heavy and progressive.

Again I'm not going over the bonus tracks that aren't as glorious as the standard edition. Anyone who thought Masterplan wouldn't work without Jorn and Uli has proven wrong with this incredible enjoyable album. Another special delivery from this group of metal heroes!

Favorites: "Warrior's Cry", "Keeps Me Burning", "Watching the World", "Call the Gypsy", "Masterplan", "Heart of Darkness"

I can almost consider Masterplan the Immortal Disfigurement of power metal. A member or two from a popular band end up fired and starting their own band, and the rest of the lineup consists of other members who have been in well-known bands. It's like a Helloween/Iron Savior/Gamma Ray/Ark supergroup of sorts! For those expecting them to be power metal, you are right, but there are some different aspects...

The falsetto vocals, speedy drumming, and background keyboards are there albeit to a lesser degree. Vocalist Jorn Lande has mentioned enjoying rock more than metal, which explains that direction in their second album Aeronautics. He would later leave the band due to musical differences, followed by drummer Uli Kusch shortly after.

"Crimson Rider" begins the album as an epic string-filled standout. Then they lower the tempo in the eerie "Back for my Life". Next up, "Wounds" switches to more of that anthemic power metal. I can definitely visualize that song getting the crowd going and singing along in venues and arenas. "I'm Not Afraid" is another emotional mid-paced track. It's practically a sequel to the debut's "Enlighten Me" which I still prefer.

Things become more rock-ish in the next song "Headbangers Ballroom" while leveling up the guitar heaviness. "After This War" is an interesting song. It's a cover of a song from Jan S. Eckert's other band Iron Savior which he took a break from to focus on Masterplan. I haven't heard the original song, but after hearing this cover, I would definitely want to. Apparently, Eckert sings with that band's lead vocalist Piet Selick in the original, whereas all the vocals in this version are done by Jorn. "Into the Arena" is quite cool, though I probably would enjoy it more if it doesn't have too much of the hard rock of Whitesnake.

There are some killer guitars in "Dark from the Dying" which wouldn't have been good without them. The best track here is "Falling Sparrow". There's just so much catchy emotion here, perfect for the radio! One track that comes close to surpassing the previous one is nearly 10-minute closing epic "Black in the Burn". It gives some of the best guitar from Roland Grapow and the best keyboard/piano from Axel Mackenrott. The bonus track "Treasure World" doesn't excite me much, but the band's talent is still there.

The conflict between Jorn wanting to continue the rock-ish direction and Uli wanting more of the usual power metal caused those two members to leave the band separately. Nonetheless, Aeronautics shows an excellent blend of those two sides. Honestly, some rock is good for their metal, though not too much. They shall stay metal!

Favorites: "Crimson Rider", "Wounds", "After This War", "Falling Sparrow", "Black in the Burn"

Masterplan didn't start off as an unknown band. The members were already in more famous bands. Most notably, founding guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch were in Helloween before they were fired. Other members at the time included vocalist Jorn Lande from Ark, bassist Jan S. Eckert from Iron Savior, and keyboardist Janne Wirman from Children of Bodom and Warmen. Wirman would then be replaced by current keyboardist Axel Mackenrott who has toured with Gamma Ray.

The album this lineup would make is an essential masterpiece! Pretty much all tracks are top-notch with great production. Heavy guitars/drums and melodic vocals are in the right balance. There's really nothing weak about this offering.

Opening track "Spirit Never Die" starts with soft bass that then rises into guitar melody and drumming speed. We're already at an amazing start. So heavy and beautiful! "Enlighten Me" is another one of my favorites here, really enlightening me with the melody of the music. "Kind Hearted Light" is a true anthem of power metal, showing Grapow and Kusch taking notes on what made Helloween big. There's some powerful aggression in "Crystal Night", particularly in the vocals.

We have a beautiful ballad-ish track in "Soulburn". Then we have the kick-A "Heroes". The first time I heard Jorn Lande and guest vocalist Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. Speeding things up is "Sail On". After that, "Into the Light" breaks the structural mold as an intriguing ballad. The lyrics depart from the usual "lost love" theme heard in other ballads. I would recommend that highlight for what a true power ballad should sound like.

We head back into heavy/power metal in "Crawling From Hell", though the riffing is heavier and tougher. The "Monsters and demons, crawling from hell" refrain has power and audacity. Going slower and darker is "Bleeding Eyes" which reaches Dream Theater levels of progressiveness. The spoken vocals sound a bit rap-ish, but I don't mind. "When Love Comes Close" was originally meant to be an instrumental, but ended up being a nice soft ballad.

I decided not to talk about the bonus tracks because they're weaker than the rest, and this review is for the 5-star perfect standard edition. Masterplan's 2003 debut is for anyone wanting a continuation of Helloween's late 90s era and Ark. Check this awesome offering out to witness these heavy/power metal masters in action!

Favorites: "Spirit Never Die", "Enlighten Me", "Kind Hearted Light", "Heroes", "Into the Light", "Crawling From Hell"

You ever wonder what System of a Down would sound like with Poppy doing all the vocals, plus some South American aspects thrown into the mix? Now you know. Calva Louise is one of the more stylistically diverse bands of this year, crossing over into elements of different genres.

The thing about diverse bands is, you don't know what would work until you try it. And it's quite exciting to give an album like this a spin. Will they add in classical piano? (YES) Will they add in a dash of brutal tech-death? (NO) The point is, Edge of the Abyss is all about unpredictability, the kind that would make you sit down and listen all the way through. It's also a concept album, so the different elements depends on the mood of the story. So let's smash that play button and unleash this fusion of fusions...

"Tunnel Vision" starts with a sweet pop intro, then the rest is an alt-metalcore blast often turning into pop and dubstep. Awesome start! "W.T.F." has frantic progressiveness with a punky pace. "Aimless" is another highlight, really proving the band's unpredictable talent, alternating between Latin flamenco, classical piano, and metal riffing. Seriously, this band needs to be discovered more. My brother and I can't be the only ones enjoying these fun experimental works! "Lo Que Vale" is my favorite track in the more alternative side, shining with Jess Allanic's vocals as she sings in her native language (she's from Venezuela).

"Impeccable" is a great song with more of Jess Allanic's impressive vocals. I gotta thank my brother for recommending this track to me along with "Feast is Over". Then "Barely a Response" continues the earlier progressive punky sound, taking some cues from Coheed and Cambria and later Katatonia. The semi-title track "The Abyss" can pack a punch despite its lack of metallic energy. More of the groove, folk, and vocal harmonies occur in "El Umbral" with some spoken vocals appearing here and there.

"La Corriente" comes out kinda awkward, attempting to add some electronics to stay in your mind but ending up somewhat obscure. "Hate in Me" brings back some of that Katatonia vibe from earlier while being more fun and energetic. "Under the Skin" seems to struggle with its groove, but it's not a total fail.

Nothing's totally bad at all in Edge of the Abyss! However, the first half has more impact than the second half which is still OK. But the album as a whole gives the band the potential of going big, experimenting with different genres to the point where the band is practically their own genre. Many unique bangers here! While not entirely perfect, listeners should give it a shot for some all-out fun....

Favorites: "Tunnel Vision", "Aimless", "Lo Que Vale", "Impeccable", "Hate in Me"

One of the best things about metal is its diversity and the ability to combine different genres both metal and non-metal. Born of Osiris are the masters of combining metalcore with elements of djent and deathcore, and in their new album Through Shadows, they've added an alt-metal cherry on top! And writing for the album started around the same time as their previous album Angel or Alien that was rewritten after failing to be a companion for their incomplete album The Simulation.

As with many of their albums, Through Shadows is an excellent one with many twists and turns. The djent-ish alt-metalcore sound is so diverse and interesting. All you can expect here is the unexpected.

A robotic female voice that starts "Seppuku" leads to an explosion of sharp riffing and digital electronics. Everything's so simple yet futuristic. "Elevate" has an accessible rave-ish groove, and the chorus mixes together electronics and riffs quite well. The 5-minute title track is another journey for Born of Osiris. Impressive vocals here, both the screams and cleans! "The War That You Are" has both heaviness and melody cranked up. And holy sh*t, the riffing and vocals are as deathcore as their earlier material.

We also have some Middle Eastern vibes in "Inverno" along with some pleasant melody. On the flip side, "A Mind Short Circuiting" is a dissonant riff frenzy only for those experienced with the band and sci-fi action video games. "Burning Light" is a melancholic synth interlude to act as the album's intermission. It segues to "In Desolation" which has a similar vibe to some melodic metalcore bands, and that I really enjoy. "Torchbearer" is the first single for the album, released nearly two years before the rest of the album. They never cease to amaze me, and I might try exercising with this song on play.

Then we have the perfect "Activated", in which everything experienced so far is put together in a trancey metalcore fiesta. I love the guest vocals by Underoath's Spencer Chamberlain and the saxophone solo that can surpass "Careless Whisper". Then "Dark Fable" has more of the electronic synths and metal beats, and the clean vocals in the chorus sound so tranquil. "Transcendence" borrows some electronic experimentation for early 2010s Linkin Park. "Blackwater" ends the album with epic crushing sorrow.

I'm glad that the new Born of Osiris album has come out and I got listen to it and review it once it got added to this site. Through Shadows is another amazing work of art from this unique band to appreciate. It's something diverse music listeners need in their lives, and let's hope they have another album in the writing works as we speak!

Favorites: "Seppuku", "Through Shadows", "The War That You Are", "In Desolation", "Torchbearer", "Activated", "Blackwater"

I'm quite used to this epic blackened deathcore sound now and can enjoy bands like The Breathing Process. The band made a new EP in 2023, their first since the demos, entitled Todeskrone (Death's Crown). Here the sometimes-fast sometimes-slow extreme sound of Labyrinthian continues and shows that the band are back in their earlier quick pace of making new material. OK, it's not a lot since their previous release two years prior, with this one being just a 4-track EP. Still it's another straight-on example of their symphonic blackened deathcore sound that would later be credited to the new more popular bands of that style. And it's also where it's just that, symphonic blackened deathcore! Barely any of their earlier melodeath has remained in this release.

The 4 tracks in this EP are all nicely-refined bangers that again continue what they had in Labyrinthian. However, it has more of the deathly direction they're usually known for with barely any of the melody in the more experimental tracks. That's where the lack of melodeath can be heard compared to earlier albums. I love this because it gives them more in common with the more popular bands of the epic blackened deathcore scene such as Lorna Shore, Mental Cruelty, Worm Shepherd, and later Carnifex. On the other hand, the reduction of experimentation makes the release have slightly less of the perfect glory of those previous 3 albums.

Striking with vicious vocal layers is the first song "Empty, Not Alone". Their current vocalist Chris Rabideau sounds so monstrous, and I mean that in a good way. "Hell is Almost Heaven" really lets it rip with vocals and instrumentation of total hellfire. "Clawed" is filled with noise and chaos, and includes guest vocals by the talented Devin Duarte of Worm Shepherd. The closing title track is an epic throwback to the blackened side of their past and it's packed with sounds of deathly destruction.

Though not as perfect as most of the band's discography, Todeskrone displays a promising direction of where The Breathing Process will go next. I hope to hear more of their strength and talent in their upcoming album later this year or the next!

Favorites: "Empty, Not Alone", "Todeskrone"

You know how much I love epic blackened deathcore, from the likes of Lorna Shore, Mental Cruelty, Worm Shepherd, etc., with songs containing a cauldron of epic melodies, downtuned riffs, and brutal breakdowns. Two genres that I once thought were too much for my taste have come together for something so intriguing. But does anyone know the band that really started it all?

The Breathing Process is the unsung pioneer of this style of deathcore, back in 2008 with their debut In Waking Divinity, alongside Winds of Plague. It was a somewhat rough start, though Odyssey (Un)Dead and Samsara are glorious examples of the sound. And maintaining that perfect streak is one of the best albums of 2021, Labyrinthian!

After the eerie first half-minute of the opening "Terminal", blast beats soar through the darkened skies. The speed has gotten me hooked, and it's not until the breakdown when everything slows down for an intense increase in tension. "Shadow Self" greatly blends the symphonic melodeath of Skyfire and early Starkill with the deathly metalcore of Bleeding Through. Another standout is "Wilt" with its heavy blackened riffing and guest vocals by David Simonich of Signs of the Swarm.

"A Savage Plea" has a beautiful intro and then rises into one of the more savage tracks here. The synth-filled blackened title track would certainly work well for a video game boss battle, and that boss is guest vocalist Jamie Graham (Viscera, ex-Sylosis). Even more blackened is "I Sleep, I Wake", their longest track at over 7 minutes, with the final two being one of the most blackened moments in the entire album. "Heir to None" is more atmospheric, but what's with the samples in the intro? They sound oddly placed and knock a few percentage points off what would've been a 100% rating. Still this song shows the band in divine form.

"Shroud" shrouds the blackened deathcore sound with some melodies borrowed from Still Remains. "Atlas" is also more melodic, almost in Parkway Drive territory, while staying in their usual sound. "We the Drowned" marks yet another epic deathcore album ending with the best climax. The melancholic finale where all the symphonics and heavy chords and melodies rise up once more before collapsing into just sorrowful piano is just beautiful.

All in all, Labyrinthian continues to seal The Breathing Process as the ultimate founder of the melodic symphonic blackened deathcore scene. Everything is mindful and perfect (except for the intro of "Heir to None"). Anyone still listening to those more popular bands of this style, take a break from them and check this band out. For real!

Favorites: "Shadow Self", "Wilt", "Labyrinthian", "I Sleep, I Wake", "We the Drowned"

The timing for me to review another Slipknot album couldn't have been better. A few days before this review, backstage at the final concert for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Slipknot turntablist Sid Wilson became engaged with Ozzy's daughter Kelly. Congrats to them! Although this engagement might confuse some people, since they've already been dating since 2022 and have a son together.

I think just found my new favorite nu metal album. There are so amazing songs that sound as fresh as they did 24 years prior. These 9 members perform in great synergy, especially in the rhythm section, not just from Wilson but also two percussionists, as well as drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. RIP the latter two...

Intro "(515)" is confusing, just shouting the word "death" over and over. Then "People = Sh*t" blasts off in brutal heaviness. "Disasterpiece" is also good, sounding more thrashy. Though not as extreme as "My Plague" which would end up in the soundtrack of the Resident Evil film. Then everything continues to get heavier in "Everything Ends", which again speeds up at thrash-esque levels.

"The Heretic Anthem" is also good, sounding quite deathly for a nu metal song. However, the lyrics take a dip in quality. The refrain where Corey Taylor yells "If you're 555, then I'm 666" is just silly and doesn't make much of a lyrical impact. "Gently" is another track that's good but isn't really a highlight. It was re-recorded from their 1996 demo album Mate Feed Kill Repeat. "Left Behind" is one of my favorites here. It's a prime example of nu metal with a more rock-ish tone while unleashing their usual rage in everything. "The Shape" is in good shape. So is "I Am Hated" which I would never hate.

"Skin Ticket" is another track that I can probably do without. However, "New Abortion" is another solid standout. "Metabolic" isn't bad but doesn't offer anything special. Unlike one of the longest and most experimental tracks in alt-/nu metal, the 15-minute closing title epic. It is the band's longest track to not have a title track, and an incredible journey for those who are patient and never restless. The Japanese edition bonus track is a live rendition of the 1999 debut's "Liberate" which is OK but doesn't add much.

All in all, Iowa is an excellent nu metal offering that shows Slipknot at their best. If you're one of those people who hate nu metal to the bone, a lot of what this album has to offer would convince you that there's still goodness in the genre. Just pure in-your-face extreme nu metal!

Favorites: "People = Sh*t", "My Plague", "Everything Ends", "Left Behind", "I Am Hated", "New Abortion", "Iowa"

The most popular era of KMFDM began with their album Nihil and would carry on to their next album Xtort. At this point, they were really rising as the industrial rock pioneers they've been known to be. They also introduced some aspects to industrial music that were barely used in industrial back then such as fast punk-ish tempos. They would pave the way for other popular German industrial rock/metal bands such as Rammstein.

The songs in Xtort are as great as the ones in Nihil. It's a nice variety with some songs I find superb and others I find OK. And that's interesting because I usually prefer my industrial metal to have more of the metal...

"Power" begins with what sounds like a phone call before the instrumentation slowly builds up. It's an excellent start to this album and would make a great show starter. I enjoy the chorus that sounds like if they collaborated with the Muses from Disney's Hercules. "Apathy" has too much mud in the sound, though it gets clearer when they slow down. "Rules" has enjoyable vocals. Male/female vocal combos are not common in industrial metal, and that's something I enjoy in one of The Sphere's later bands, Mechina.

"Craze" has good vocals, but the instrumentation falls into the same muddy trap. "Dogma" starts off with strange alien synths before Nicole Blackman provides spoken vocals. In all honesty, that song might remind some more of Devo. "Inane" is INSANE!!! Sascha Konietzko performs his usual vocal distortion alongside rising chords, singing about the band themselves and their greatness. The country-ish guitars are also quite fun. Fantastic highlight! Next up, "Blame" has a nice midtempo intro of hardcore guitar melodies. The instrumentation stands out as well, even going far as to using brass horns!

"Son of a Gun" has more of that male vocal distortion. It's also used in the chorus while harmonized by the female singing. They really explore a lot in the synth department. "Ikons" continues the vocal distortion with some machine FX. "Wrath" is a strong way out. Everything's in great balance including the vocals and production. I enjoy the lyrics and synth breaks. Then it all ends with the last bit of strange synth noises. Finally, "Fairy" is an unusual hidden track with just piano and an eerie voice reading a fairytale.

For any KMFDM listeners out there, you don't wanna miss out on this great example of this sound. You can listen to the album while taking a night drive in your car. Beats and heaviness can sound quite good together....

Favorites: "Power", "Rules", "Inane", "Blame", "Wrath"

If you've read Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Overlode, you would know that (SPOILER ALERT) a heavy metal band named Metallichihuahua started out popular in the 90s before splitting up, and then reunited 25 years later for a special surprise show. In the timeline that we're in, Deadguy had a similar history at around the same time. They formed in 1994 in New Jersey and released several EPs and an album. Their noise-fueled metallic hardcore sound was praised by many fans and would then spawn a different genre, mathcore. However, their time was short-lived, disbanding in 1997. Members of that band and Rorschach would form another short-lived band, Kiss It Goodbye.

In 2021, an authorized documentary of the band was released, titled Deadguy: Killing Music. They were then invited to reform and perform a special show at Underground Arts, a day after the documentary was released. And then more live shows occured, all the way up to 2023. Finally, a couple years after that, their first album in 30 years has arrived! Near-Death Travel Services picks up where Fixation on a Co-Worker with its killer heavy songs that show the band still standing in the present as much as in the past.

Right when opener "Kill Fee" blasts off, you know the band is back to make some f***ing noise. It's an explosion of metal/mathcore fury and rage to give their fans a lot of joy. "Barn Burner" continues that fire. "New Best Friend" is another single that can provide you a what to expect in the album. "Cheap Trick" is another intense blast from the past.

Then comes another standout, "The Forever People". Anyone who thought it would be a My Dying Bride cover has been proven wrong. If it was though, that would've been the most direct connection between that band and metalcore/mathcore since that fiddling riff in Converge's "Conduit" similar to that in "Vast Choirs". Next, "War With Strangers" has a slower pace that then speeds up in the usual riffing/shouting fury. That reminds me, vocalist Tim Singer still has his p*ssed vocal rage after all those years away from the band, and he's around my dad's age (his early 50s). You can hear more of all that in "Knife Sharpener".

"The Alarmist" keeps up the chaos to bring us joy. "The Long Search for Perfect Timing" is aptly titled, ending the earlier fans' 30-year search for the perfect song to surpass the debut. I'm also guessing the band was listening to 7 Angels 7 Plagues in the first few years of inactivity. "All Stick & No Carrot" packs some punches with the usual Deadguy energy. The members work together in great synergy. "Wax Princess" wraps it all up, having some more of the similar aspects to 7 Angels 7 Plagues.

Not often does a 30-year comeback turn out so well, but Deadguy is far from dead, and their new album Near-Death Travel Services proves it. They might just start a new path, and chances are, we won't have to wait until 2055 for their 3rd album. This is the chaos we need, to make up for the actual chaos in this world!

Favorites: "Kill Fee", "Cheap Trick", "The Forever People", "War With Strangers", "The Long Search for Perfect Timing", "All Stick & No Carrot"

For nearly a year, I've been a big fan of Shadow of Intent. I first heard of this band working on the Revolution playlists and coming across some of their tracks. Then I listened to their album Elegy, and while I didn't enjoy it back then as I do now, I still approve of their blend of epic deathcore and lyrics of historical wars (not the same approach as Sabaton). And once I made my way through their other albums, I was all in. Melancholy remains one of my favorite epic deathcore albums. And what can surpass that?

That's right, their new album Imperium Delirium! The music and lyrics cut sharper than a knife. The conceptual themes range from personal to somewhat political. The riffing and structures are in clear production, making this hour-long offering a dark exhilarating experience.

The lyrical poetry of lead vocalist Ben Duerr reaches its very height right at the beginning of the album with "Prepare to Die". He can be heard growling and screaming about the fate of humanity, and no matter how fast he spits out those lyrics, they're so clear and you can hear them directly. The next track, early single "Flying the Black Flag" is so f***ing bada**, and it was co-produced by Blake Mullens from fellow symphonic deathcore band Disembodied Tyrant. "Infinity of Horrors" follows it up with some of the most melodic guitarwork in the album. That and guitarist Chris Wiseman's soaring clean vocals give the chorus a near-power metal vibe. He has certainly improved vocally since his misstep in their debut Primordial. Ben still has his monstrous growls. "Mechanical Chaos" continues the brutal chaos while having a bit of progressiveness from Voivod.

Taking on a few twists to keep the album interesting and fresh, the great "They Murdered Sleep", has more of a slow groove at times which, when blended with the string orchestration, comes out so monstrous and destructive. In "The Facets of Propaganda", the keys and background female chanting balance out with the heaviness and blackened screams/growls. Another single, "Feeding the Meatgrinder" is so f***ing brutal and doubling the brutality is the one and only Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse. The vengeful "Vehement Draconian Vengeance" is like the melodeath of Dethklok and Neaera blended with the metalcore of later Living Sacrifice.

"Beholding the Sickness of Civilization" has more vocal distortion, making Ben sound more sinister. "Apocalypse Canvas" continues the aspect of having a long instrumental track. It's literally Dream Theater gone deathcore, filled with technical rhythms and shredding. "No Matter the Cost" has the deathcore of As Blood Runs Black and early Job for a Cowboy gone as progressive as Watchtower. The closing title track is another one of the darkest deathcore epics, all the way up to the "YOU ARE NOW F***ED" ending.

It's crazy how long Shadow of Intent can maintain their perfect streak. They haven't lost much steam in their heaviness, blasting away any sign of lameness. Imperium Delirium is fun intriguing symphonic deathcore recommended for any fan of the genre. Can't wait for more of this band, along with Lorna Shore's new album later this year!

Favorites: "Prepare to Die", "Flying the Black Flag", "They Murdered Sleep", "Feeding the Meatgrinder", "Apocalypse Canvas", "Imperium Delirium"

Waidelotte... That's a name I haven't heard before, but then again, aren't there many other bands with unusual names? Apparently, this band is named after a Prussian priestess with duties of prayers, blessings and fortune. Anyone with historical knowledge would know that Prussia was a German state with a Baltic tribe until it was abolished as a result of World War II. It is not to be confused with Russia, the country currently at war with Ukraine.

Waidelotte was formed in Ukraine in 2023, when the war was (and still is) raging. Members of the band have come from more notable bands, with vocalist Andrii Pechatkin from White Ward and bassist Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel from Soen. The only other member is guitarist Mykhailo Bogaichuk, so I'm guessing the drums are programmed. Conceptually, Celestial Shrine takes you through death and despair in inner struggles to battle. This album is described as melodic/pagan black metal, though I can also witness the melodeath/progressive metal of Obscura, maybe even Ne Obliviscaris. The vocals and bass give that away in the extreme instrumentation blended with folklore.

"Descending" is a soft folk-ish intro not too far off from Opeth's interludes. As for the first actual song, "The Era of Stagnant Gods", it's not often you hear flute after extreme fury, but it works out well. The slow ending sounds so atmospheric. Hurdy-gurdy comes up in "Todestrieb", which itself is a melodic pounder. The usage of folk instruments and occasional female singing give it a bit of an Eluveitie vibe.

"Opulent Mirage" is a more progressive highlight, mixing the mid-2000s eras of Enslaved, Leprous, and Opeth. "The Mortality Archway" basically takes the extreme side of Kayo Dot and adds in the thrashy complexity of Believer and some Eastern European instrumentation. "Ascending" is one more folk interlude with Neurosis-like ambience.

Things get more fun in "Lightkeeper". Then the title track tones down the fun for some melancholic sorrow. It makes great use of their native instruments like the bandura, performed by Vlad Vakolyuk. That aspect is in superb balance with heavy riffing. This should've been the end of this offering, but the band felt like adding a little something to make a full album... "Dissolving" is an 8-minute dark ambient track featuring Solar Kollapse. It's so odd and boring, and the album would've been perfect without it.

The half-hour of power that makes up the rest of Celestial Shrine is an effective album of Slavic-infused progressive melodic black/death. It's a unique combo that really hits it right. The horrors of this ongoing war didn't stop this Ukranian band from unleashing their creative talents. They should really be commended for their perseverance....

Favorites: "The Era of Stagnant Gods", "Opulent Mirage", "The Mortality Archway", "Celestial Shrine"

It's tough when a promising band is marred with its founder's horrid allegations. But you know me as the kind of person who separate art from artist most of the time. If you enjoy something that's good or even awesome despite a problematic member, don't be shamed into not liking it. With that said, it's as good as The Breathing Process's debut but not as awesome as that band's next two albums. The symphonic blackened deathcore sound is combined with the tech-djent polyrhythms of Meshuggah.

Ovid's Withering also seems to have cranked up the keyboards in an attempt to sound epic. It's fine but a little too pompous, like slightly too reliant of the orchestration of Septicflesh. Still it's in good flow with the guitar harmonies, riffs, melodies, crushing breakdowns, and drumming machinery...

The dark djenty wonders commence in "Panikon Deima", in which the soloing appears to takes some hints from Periphery. Adding to the symphonic extreme-core is the guitar technicality and growled vocals, even power metal-esque fantasy lyrics. Next track "Oedipus Complex" has more of the symphonic black metal influences to remind some of Dimmu Borgir including some orchestration and higher shrieks. Final track "The Omen of Lycaon" is the most deathcore-fueled of all, particularly in the vocals.

I wouldn't say there's much originality in The Cloud Gatherer, but Ovid's Withering have made a well-produced EP. The aggression is never lowered by the keyboard atmosphere, though the latter could've been less overpowering. This, and those allegations, makes me hesitant to explore further. Nonetheless, enjoy these symphonies of aggression...

Favorites: All 3, but my true favorite is "Panikon Deima"

This ongoing symphonic deathcore journey of mine has led me to many epic has led me to several masterpieces of epicness and brutality. The more I discover, the more I understand the style's greatness. The Breathing Process has a couple awesome releases that I wish I had discovered earlier instead of recently. They've gone through many changes in lineup and location since forming in the early 2000s. At the time of Samsara's release, they had 7 members including 3 guitarists. As with their previous album Odyssey (un)Dead, Samsara has their usual blend of symphonic deathcore and blackened melodeath. Two glorious releases separated long apart, like Romeo and Juliet!

After being signed by some record labels for their first couple albums, Samsara was released independently in 2018, on my country's independence day, August 31. Lots of independence! The album includes a limited edition digipak for digital purchase. For this album, the band didn't just record themselves performing, they've also done all the mixing and engineering. The end result is an epic organic experience.

Just like how their first two albums opened, "Et Hoc Est Infernum" is an ambient intro with sorrowful orchestration and piano. The actual opening song "The Traveler" is a long heavy start to this dark adventure. Blackened tremolos, deathly riffs, and rapid blasts assimilate into an extreme combo. You can also hear some smooth guitar melodies and keyboard atmosphere. More of those symphonics appear in "Into the Night", one of my favorite tracks here. The guitar melodies and breakdown brutality are so delightful. "Supervoid" is more brutal than anything they've done before, delivering the breakdowns and growls of deathcore faster than light or a black hole.

In contrast, another highlight "The Conscious Observer" starts off melodic. However, the guitars and growls are still around, perfectly balanced with the melody. I also love the midsection guitar soloing that's a nice pleasant break from the blackened chaos. "Servile" opens up a heavier dimension of deathcore, more in the brutal side as opposed to the symphonic blackened side. The latter sound continues to strike in "Dethroned".

"The Nothing" has more of the band's earlier symphonic black metal insanity, keeping you engaged all the way up to its outro. Next is the more mellow "Sungrazer", and even then, it still has merciless heaviness and speed. The blackened blasts sounds so kick-A, and if anyone has barely heard that in earlier albums beforehand, they would think the drummer is more machine than man. The bass grooves flow well with the riffing by the talented guitar trio. The astonishing heaviness and synergy is what any metalhead can wish for. "Absolute Truth" has more memorable progressive structure. If Make Them Suffer continued their earlier epic blackened deathcore phase, this is that!

With all this epic brutal fury at hand, Samsara is a 10-track beast that I'm glad to discover and add to my symphonic deathcore recommendations list. There are many melodic moments, as much as the brutal ones, creating something crushing and emotional. The Breathing Process have proven themselves to be a brilliant band that should be for anyone into both symphonic deathcore and melodeath. Don't sleep on it, spread the word!

Favorites: "The Traveler", "Into the Night", "The Conscious Observer", "Sungrazer", "Absolute Truth"

With their second album Odyssey (un)Dead, The Breathing Process add more complex talent to their anthems, with different tempo variations. And HOLY F***, what a memorable leap compared to their debut! There's more emotion without losing any brutality, the thing I once feared but enjoy a lot now.

No matter how beautiful Odyssey (un)Dead can be sometimes, The Breathing Process seems lost and almost unheard of in the metal world. It's sad because their technical madness is quite underrated. No metalhead should miss out on this symphonic deathcore/melodeath chaos of machine gun blast beats, ravaging rhythms, and even background symphonic keys to give the intensity some atmosphere. This album has all that and then some!

"Hours" is a prophetic intro, and I say that because of the spoken sample, "Me, I service the machinery of death so that people can eat. If that makes me evil, then so be it." Then the instrumentation rises into dark pounding fire. The band's original sound already reaches its height in the speedy "Grimoire". They unleash their complex skills in not just the guitars and vocals, but also the keys, bass, and drums, in a prime example of their sound. And there's more of this wild ride in the next track... "Leveler" has some of the best keys here, sounding epic and spacey. That kind of makes the monkey jungle outro a bit unfitting, though I digress. "Vultures" introduces a new aspect to their sound, female singing. Beauty within the heavy beast! Still there are different twists and turns as the song goes on, until the sweet chords and grooves fade into melancholic piano and bass. Epicness supreme! The intergalactic blaze of "Pantheon Unraveling" really burns up. Smooth bass grooves hit alongside raging blasts, guitars, and synths. This shows that something graceful can come out deadly as well.

One interlude to tone down the intense chaos is "Starless Eternal". This short track can have a bit of progressiveness and allow you to imagine a starless darkness conjured by the keys and drums, building things up before the next song... The title track has some d*mn brutal talent. The progressiveness shines within the blend of heaviness and emotion. Already sounding original in the brief mechanical intro, "Metamorphosis" is also filled with absolute g****mn fire. Anthemic rage pours from the chords, vocals, and icy keys, making perhaps the most powerful highlight of the album! "Hordes" has more complex brutality, especially in the chaotic final third.

"The Living Forest (Part I)" has searing blasts and haunting keys, closer to the earlier symphonic black metal darkness, though there's also a technical breakdown. "Wind Ritual" is the intermission before the second part, basically female clean-led blackened death-doom. "The Opaque Forest (Part II)" rips things apart while whispers, growls, and singing fills the vocal air. "Decaying (Form)" caps it all by summarizing everything in its first half, alternating between soft and blasting sections. And what a tearful outro!

The 6 members of The Breathing Process came together to work on this epic underrated creation. Odyssey (un)Dead might just be my favorite album for these earliest days of symphonic deathcore, and I would certainly be up for more of this band. If you wanna hear epic deathcore's true beginning besides Winds of Plague, let's f***ing go!

Favorites: "Grimoire", "Vultures", "Odyssey (un)Dead", "Metamorphosis", "The Living Forest (Part I)", "The Opaque Forest (Part II)", "Decaying (Form)"

My symphonic deathcore expedition has led me to what might just be the earliest band of that sound besides Winds of Plague, The Breathing Process. This American band from Connecticut has practically invented the idea of a symphonic deathcore/melodeath blend while also throwing in some Scandivanian-style melodic black metal. It's a mix of epic and extreme that barely any other band had attempted before...

Having just come across their debut In Waking Divinity, I have to admit, it's not as glorious as the later more popular bands of the league. However, it's slightly better than other humble beginning attempts at a niche subgenre. I also admit that the band name is a little goofy, but not bad enough to qualify for the "sh*ttiest band name" thread.

The album's intro "The Hunter" is an ambient yet heavy start with some samples. A bit pointless, yet I approve. The title track impresses me with heavy guitars, skilled drums, and killer vocals. While the symphonics are more oddly placed compared to the later bands of the league, I enjoy the more metallic headbanging sections. Great start, though keep that in mind before the remaining full songs of the album follow the same formula. "Lament Configuration" is a melancholic piano lament. "Blessed, Be Thine Martyr" basically continues the melodic deathcore sound of Bring Me the Horizon's debut Count Your Blessings and blends it with the symphonic black metal of Abigail Williams around that time. "Pandora's Rebirth" has more unique identity. I love the chorus in which the vocals appear over background synths, reminding me of Bleeding Through.

Not much happens in the 24 seconds that make up "Oceans". However, "The Harvesting" attacks like a symphonic Despised Icon. Melodic and technical riffing are more balanced in "Prey" which isn't amazing but I approve of this stylistic blend.

"Legion's Prayer" is one more piano interlude. The winning highlight has to be "Dear Antigone" with lots of vicious headbanging moments. "Somnium" has more interesting progressiveness. It starts doomy with spoken vocals, slowly building up before a final climax. A bonus track in some editions, "Inferno" is an earlier track from the I Am Legion demo, and I love the clean chorus here. If they had more of that in the actual album, I would rate it higher.

I think the title track and those 3 full songs at the end are what you need if you're checking out this band and album for the first time. While a couple tracks in the middle and the interludes are average, In Waking Divinity is still a good start to the then-unpopular symphonic deathcore trend. Not to be missed out, but it's fine if it is....

Favorites: "In Waking Divinity", "Pandora's Rebirth", "The Harvesting", "Dear Antigone", "Somnium", "Inferno"

HOW?!? How did I not discover this awesome modern metal band earlier?! Remember what I thought of Becoming the Archetype's debut Terminate Damnation? Hope for the Dying's most recent album Legacy basically continues the progressive melodeath/metalcore sound of that album but with more symphonic/neo-classical elements. Many people who enjoy this band have started off with Dissimulation or Aletheia, but my first encounter with Legacy makes me wants to check them out for the first time soon.

While there are some similarities to Terminate Damnation in terms of the sound, flow, and track lengths, there's only one interlude that is the intro. That's OK, because the rest of the album stands out as is. Before we get to that, I'd just like to point out the album cover. It may not be by Dan Seagrave, but it still has that epic Game of Thrones vibe.

So "Aurora" is a nice orchestral intro that lasts for a minute. "Setting Sun" fits greatly with its title, setting the album's tone in stone. The haunting keys shine greatly alongside the heavy guitars. The best place for progressive diversity is "Flame Forged", one of my favorite tracks here. Then we have the relentless "Narcissus" that continues its blend of heaviness and melody from beginning to end.

However, its abrupt transition into "Nemesis" is a bit jarring. My perfect 5-star rating still stands as that next track brushes aside that misstep with heavy dissonance. Lyrics like "I was a slave to my own demons" and deathly growls by Becoming the Archetype frontman Jason Wisdom makes that track another standout. I also love the guest gutarwork by Elisha Mullins (The Burial, Miss May I, War of Ages) including the Van Halen-esque divebomb at the end. "Trenches" is another fantastic dish of heaviness and symphonics that stays speedy until its slower ending section. "Wretched Curse" lets you rest in a slower tempo for the first couple minutes then speeds back up again.

After the previous track's brief soft moment, "Wander No More" has searing guitars to rip you apart. My ultimate favorite track of the album is the 9-minute title epic that really packs some punches. A smooth two-minute bridge comes in midway through before some blazing soloing out of nowhere. Then it ends with soft strings. The last bit of triumph comes in "Adamantine" which is an excellent summary of this glorious literal hour. And finally some soft piano to end it all.

As brilliant as Terminate Damnation is, Legacy is another huge deal of modern epicness. Every layer is absorbed through your ears into the brain, and you'll be able to experience this unique creativity in no time. You can expect headbanging metal sections, soft orchestral bridges, and different time signature changes. Just like Terminate Damnation, this offering is a standout in the Christian metal scene that can please both Christians and non-Christians. If I thought Mechina's Progenitor was the best album of 2016, that award might just be passed over to this album. There's still hope for Hope for the Dying to come back with something fresh to maintain their legacy!

Favorites: "Flame Forged", "Nemesis", "Trenches", "Legacy", "Adamantine"

As my symphonic deathcore expedition continues, I've just encountered this band from metal's motherland Finland, Assemble the Chariots. With their storytelling symphonic melodic death metal/core sound, they're like a more conceptual Shadow of Intent and Lorna Shore. I think of all the releases of this genre I've explored so far, this might truly be the most saga-filled one yet!

Although their full-length debut Unyielding Night was released a year before this review, 2024, they've actually released a series of EPs dating back 15 years prior. With their sign-in to Seek & Strike records, it was time to unleash their epic storytelling deathcore to the world.

"Aquilegia in Peril" begins it all with that cinematic blend of symphonics and narration. Then "Departure" launches into metallic blasts that blend with the epic orchestration. The riffing and harsh vocals add to this intriguing mix. "Admorean Monolith" has some powerful bass groove alongside highly diverse metal aggression. "As Was Seen by Augurers" fires away with drumming impact. The screams and growls alternate with great unpredictability. "Shimmering, Pulsing Glow" is another string/narration interlude.

The ominous melancholy is decimated by the furious "Evermark". Absolutely brutal growls and intense riffing there! Introducing "Reavers March" is the usual savage battle between metal and orchestra. I love the impressive shredding! "Ephemeral Stream" is a different story, with soft piano and cleans by Milma Laitinen for something calm while still dark. "Emancipation" blasts forward again like a machine gun (no Kelly). As we have more of the demonic harsh vocals, we also have some operatic cleans by Nitte Valo (Dreamtale, ex-Battle Beast). "Keepers of the Stars" is a catchy headbanging highlight with kick-A drums and leads. "Empress" has more screaming chaos.

"Last Line of Defence" is one more interlude, to get you geared up for the final battle of this story. Warhorns begin the war in "Galactic Order", getting you excited with the theatrical orchestration, crushing metal, and charging vocals. "Equinox" is the grand ending epic where the ultimate climax occurs. The final bit of energy is used wisely, all the way up to the glorious end. That's the kind of closing epic that I enjoy!

Unyielding Night is probably the most ambitious and conceptual album in all of symphonic deathcore. Many different layers can be found in the deathly fury, the symphonic orchestra, and a voyage of a concept. You gotta appreciate the time it took for this to be made. The long wait was worth it. Here's to the next part of the Ephemeral Trilogy!

Favorites: "Departure", "Admorean Monolith", "Evermark", "Reavers March", "Emancipation", "Keepers of the Stars", "Equinox"

From Seattle, Botch was known for contributing to their development of the noise-powered mathcore genre in the late 90s. The band would release two albums before splitting up in 2002, though they would reform two decades later for a new single and reunion tour. Botch shared their hybrid sound with fellow mathcore pioneers Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan, and would plant the seed for later bands like Norma Jean and Every Time I Die. During Botch's 20-year split, the members would go on in different bands like Minus the Bear, These Arms are Snakes, Roy, Russian Circles, and Sumac.

This unique ambitious sound can take on a variety of different influences such as Helmet and Black Sabbath, putting them together into their own. You can hear it clearly in The Unifying Themes of Sex, Death and Religion, a compilation of demo EPs released before their two albums. It spawned an extended re-release in 2002, entitled Unifying Themes Redux, with more previously unreleased tracks. Whichever release you get, expect some complex high-energy hardcore chaos...

The frantic "God vs. Science" showcases the metallic chords of guitarist Dave Knudson. "Third Part in a Tragedy" has some of those hardcore jumps that Norma Jean would later have. Then slowly they turn, step by step, "Inch by Inch"... Some slight industrial from Nine Inch Nails is added to the metallic hardcore that can be heard in Eighteen Visions. They've actually covered "O Fortuna" by Carl Orff, turning an opera song into a mathcore track. A little too much of a joke, but I can accept it. Then we slam into "Closure", which is from a various artists compilation. A true trail of noise and destruction!

"Contraction" adds a little more melody to the hardcore, though not as much as The Plot in You would in the 2010s. Then on "Ebb", Knudson paints his guitar notes on the bass grooves of Brian Cook and the screamed vocals of Dave Verellen. "Stupid Me" is kinda stupid in the cliche chanting. The drama is lost by sounding laughable. "In Spite of This" is the 5-minute epic with killer riffing. They never need to go Meshuggah levels of djenty to sound this heavy.

I suppose I can one day check out the extended Unifying Themes Redux, but as much fun as I had with the original, hearing a lot of this for 70 minutes might be wearying. Still you can witness how well Botch can do their music, giving you a great complex time....

Favorites: "God vs. Science", "Third Part in a Tragedy", "Closure", "Ebb", "In Spite of This"

From surreal performance art YouTuber to experimental popstar to metal screamer, Poppy, born Moriah Rose Pereira, has revolutionized both the internet and music scene. However, I've barely encountered any of her work, only knowing her collaborations with her highly acclaimed collaborations with Bad Omens and Knocked Loose. So now it's time for me to dive into her diverse world...

Her 3rd album I Disagree marked her transition from electropop into experimental alt-metal. The album's themes are empowerment and destroying the destroyer. It's clear that a lesson to learn is to disagree with life's conventionalities that can drag you down.

"Concrete" shows Poppy reinventing the pop metal wheel, by combining anime-style electropop with metal shredding. Two different worlds collide as catchy hooks battle against brutal breakdowns. At one point, an audience chants her name which then leads to a pop rock bridge and the last of the metal shredding. Truly an energetic banger! Then the title track shows more of her creativity. The chorus is quite playful as Poppy sings like an angel, telling us to "let it all burn down, burn it to the ground". After which, her devil side strikes back against her manipulative ex-collaborator Titanic Sinclair, "I disagree with the way you continue to pressure me". She can burn away her abusive past and walk away without batting an eye. "Bloodmoney" takes on some electro-industrial, leaning into a bit of hardcore dubstep.

The electronic side continues on in "Anything Like Me", which also drifts into cacophonic metal and continues the directly empowering lyrics, "sorry for what I’ve become, because I'm becoming someone." Then "Fill the Crown" encourages liberty for all, "you can be anyone you want to be, you can be free". The edition of this album I'm reviewing includes a bonus cover of "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u., and interestingly enough, this is one of my favorite tracks here, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category by adding in dark alt-/industrial metal drama while staying true to the original. If that isn't Poppy's most emotional moment, I don't know what is! After that, "Nothing is Need" dives into dreamy soft pop, like something Ariana Grande would make. There's not much metal there, unless you count some lead guitar melodies. As a heavier listener, I find that one bland, though not a total disaster.

Poppy can let her ideas run loose in "Sit/Stay" with lyrics against having to obey like an animal. She wants to show that she is an independent individual and motivates us to have that same feeling of freedom. Then we have the explosive "Bite Your Teeth" with its straight-on metallic energy. "Sick of the Sun" is one of the more ethereal tracks here. 6-minute closing epic "Don't Go Outside" has a soft acoustic intro, and... I know this album fits well as an alt-metal release, but this track is the closest to that genre, maybe even the post-grunge style my brother likes. The music and lyrics revisit many of the earlier tracks, most notably the title track, "Let it all burn down, we'll be safe and sound".

I Disagree is a fine example of the experimental creativity Poppy has, expanding the boundaries of modern music. Although it's too poppy (no pun intended, maybe) for me to listen to on a regular basis, she deserves some great appreciation from fans. And we will disagree with the haters....

Favorites: "Concrete", "I Disagree", "Anything Like Me", "All the Things She Said", "Bite Your Teeth", "Don't Go Outside"

I think now's a good time for me to fill you in on a brief history of Fear of Domination. The Finnish "shock" industrial melodeath band was formed in 2006 by vocalist Saku Solin, bassist Lauri Ojanen, and guitarist Jan-Erik Kari. These 3 original members would carry on with the band while the other two, guitarist/keyboardist Marko Salmikangas and drummer Jaakko Arteli would leave early on. It was Lauri who came up with the band name, stemming from one of the first (and best) songs they've written, similarly to how the more popular Finnish metal band Nightwish got their name. Since then, many lineup changes would occur, most notably the addition of female vocalist Sara Strömmer, originally a live member but has since joined the band full-time, performing co-lead vocals alongside Saku.

VI: Revelation is the second album with Sara and would end up being their last with her. On the same month as its release, December 2021, she started taking time off for maternity leave and ultimately left the band to focus on family life. That's too bad because I consider her one of the most energetic female vocalist modern rock/metal besides Linkin Park's new lead vocalist Emily Armstrong. At least we can still hear her cleans and screams for one more album. As for the music, while it still has that heavy energy they always have, their sound is no longer industrial melodeath. It's more like trance-metalcore in a similar vein to Amaranthe...

"Exitus" is where the band makes their entrance by tearing things apart with the usual electro-trance beats and heavy/melodic blend with a massive chorus. Now that's the starting track I wish the previous two albums had! "Dive Into I" has energetic groove. And don't forget the catchy melodic chorus! "Inner Lies" starts with the sample that begins Strapping Young Lad's "Home Nucleonics" ("The beat starts here"). The song is a shredtastic highlight with more of those heavy verses and melodic chorus.

"Formless Ones" has soft melancholy without sacrificing the heaviness. "Rust" has heavier strength in the riffs and vocals, along with more of those dance-y beats. The chorus would certainly be suitable for a dance party, while the music continues to have that wall-smashing power. "Manifest" punches through in the music and vocals.

"Amongst Gods" has more straight rhythms. Massive chords enhance the melodic chorus, alongside the synths and vocals. "Home" is still heavy in the guitars and vocals but they experiment with unusual aspects like film-score orchestra and rapping. "The Greatest Harmony" has good heavy groove. The sing-along chorus adds to the variation. "They All Want Me to Die" is so heavy and trance-y in the instrumentation, fitting well with the vocals including a bit of choir singing at the end. The perfect ending storm!

I'm aware that experimental industrial-ish trance-metalcore isn't for everyone. So it's best to take small steps with other bands before getting here. And in the end, you'll have a f***ing whale of a time. Rock on and party on....

Favorites: "Exitus", "Inner Lies", "Rust", "Amongst Gods", "They All Want Me to Die"

Fear of Domination's 5th album Metanoia marked another different era for the band. Anyone with prominent knowledge of this band would know that keyboardist Niina Telén has sung occasional background vocals in their first two albums. Then she was replaced by Lasse Raelahti while Helena Haaparanta performed guest vocals in their next two albums and was a live member. And now enter Sara Strömmer! With her strong powerful voice, the band decided to add her to the full-time lineup.

As for the music itself, this is still the same industrial-ish melodeath as before. And I don't mind because I dig this kind of music. So what we have in Metanoia is another solid offering, albeit with a new kick-A co-lead vocalist.

Starting track "Dance with the Devil" starts off similarly to the previous album Atlas, as it's not the strongest way to begin. Nonetheless, we're introduced to Sara's shouts that would make you stick around for the rest of the album. Next track "Obsession" greatly pushes the music and vocals forward, with both vocalists having their time to shine. I enjoy the clean and harsh vocals as well as the otherworldly soloing. A true highlight! "Face of Pain" comes up next, and it follows up the previous track very well. The energy is kept up in this aggressive highlight. From the intro onwards, a layered melody appears in different forms to implant itself into your mind. Riffs, electronics, and beats flow with the vocals to make such a coherent standout. "Sick and Beautiful" has more that powerful energy.

This metal party is put on hold in "Shame". Its slow melancholy shows a new side of Fear of Domination listeners didn't hear before. "Lie" takes us back to the band's usual sound. It's enjoyable but doesn't stand out as much as the rest of the album. It's not a filler track, though it is close. I originally didn't think "We Dominate" like I wasn't sure if listening to this more would be suitable for me. However, when I gave this another spin for the sake of this review, I actually like it a lot more! The energy that somehow sailed over my mind in my first listen can really get the live crowd. And the motivational lyrics fit well for when I successfully convinced myself to give it a second chance. Perfect!

"The Last Call" follows as another strong standout. The great vocals and catchy chorus will be embedded in your mind. "Mindshifter" also has a catchy chorus and cool keys. Smooth melodies are in great contrast with the heavy riffing. I'm not sure about that ending though. The finale "Ruin" is the absolute best highlight here! It's one of the most experimental tracks by the band, starting off doomy before exploding into a ballad when some Apocalyptica-like cellos and jazzy magic. So different yet a perfect way out!

Metanoia continues the killer talents of Fear of Domination. Almost every track is a spectacular one suitable for both a metal concert and a dance-club. So put this record on and get ready to both dance and rock!

Favorites: "Obsession", "Face of Pain", "We Dominate", "The Last Call", "Ruin"

You can barely find any disappointment from Fear of Domination and their industrial melodeath sound. Heavy riffs and dance-y synths are what you can expect from this hybrid of genres. The keyboards might take some time to get used to, just like it did for me albeit quickly. The "shocking" aesthetics also show that the band is not afraid to have some fun in the serious realms in metal. What else can ask you for from this cool band?!

Actually I would ask for a little more of their earlier industrial side since some of it is dropped off for a dark-ish atmosphere that wasn't entirely present in Distorted Delusions. That's been used greatly in a few songs in that album, and now it's used more in Atlas. Though a few songs ignore that and give the album a back and forth vibe.

"Misery" is an interesting intro that reminds me of some of Avatar's softer moments. Then "Divided" starts, and while that one's still great, it's not how I want the album to begin. Saku Solin shouts out his vocals in a rap-ish tone with an occasional "Suck it! Suck it!". But I like the melodic chorus with subtle choir. That's the Fear of Domination I remember from Create.Control.Exterminate! Then we have the energetic "Primordial" with its headbanging beat. The synth helps give the metal instrumentation more life. Those keys shine in the spotlight while the guitars are comfortable in the backstage, relaxing in the verses then unleashing all its power in the chorus. Majestic! "Colossus" continues the industrial machinery with dark thrash-ish rhythms. Riffs and synths make a punishing interplay.

For "El Toro", I love the soloing that's a rarity for this album. However, the keys have a bit of wasted potential. "Carnival Apocalypse" is more apocalyptic-sounding. Although it's mostly melodic, there's some heaviness that almost comes out as a cyber/industrial Fleshgod Apocalypse. We also have some vocal variety in "Messiah".

"Adrenaline" sounds more mainstream, but it actually makes the album's ultimate highlight. Metallic riffing and galactic keys shine brighter than the sun. Perhaps one of the most memorable anthemic tracks they've ever done! But then it leads to the title track that doesn't have the same action. The final track "Final Transmission" hits hard and has some background female-sung beauty. It came close to being the ultimate highlight before the aforementioned "Adrenaline" took the throne.

There are very few flaws here and they're so small that they're overshadowed by the enjoyable majority of the album. Lots of intense action that blends heaviness and melody. Fear of Domination continues to impress me and should really catch on with the rest of the world!

Favorites: "Primordial", "Colossus", "Carnival Apocalypse", "Adrenaline", "Final Transmission"

Cynic's Focus is known by many as a progressive tech-death classic, and I had that same thought when I was listening to that album 5 years before this review. Although I enjoyed this album a lot back then, I seem to have distanced from it not too long after. As I grow older (age 26 right now to be exact), I'm really losing touch with the more jazz-infused prog-metal, though my break from death metal was another reason why I fell out of love with this album.

As I revisit Cynic's 1993 debut, I can still hear its amazing uniqueness! Many of the members have started out in death metal bands, appearing in at least one album by Death, Master, and Monstrosity. Cynic had the idea of blending death metal with jazzy prog, which has also been done by Atheist back then. The best moments of Focus come in their more spacey moments as opposed to when they just go all-out tech-death. A lot of the power comes from the rhythm section, with the mystical bass of Sean Malone and the dexterous drumming of Sean Reinert (RIP the two Seans).

The album starts with the fantastic opening track "Veil of Maya" which would inspire the name of death/metalcore band Veil of Maya. It's still one of my favorite tracks of the album. Next up, "Celestial Voyage" is a more ambitious track. Deathly riffing and jazz sections sound so great together! "The Eagle Nature" is a more deathly track, having come from one of the demos. Still it's interesting hearing Paul Masvidal's vocoded cleans in contrast with the death growls of Tony Teegarden.

"Sentiment" might just be the best track of the album, maybe one of the best of prog-metal! The best part of it all is the ethereal midsection bridge. The beginning of "I'm But a Wave to..." starts strong, though I feel like the metal riffing kicking in was an abrupt switch after that dreamy drift.

"Uroboric Forms" is another more deathly track from the demos, which is cool but rather different from the rest of the album. Next up, "Textures" is an instrumental that djenty prog-metal band Textures would name themselves after. Lots of Watchtower-infused jazzy brilliance! "How Could I?" is still a great track but the strangest one here, attempting to get all thrashy in the chorus with less than desirable results.

See, 5 years before this review, I loved everything about this album and found the more metallic songs catchy. But now, their attempts at sounding metal in a couple tracks are a bit iffy and that's why a half-star is knocked from my 5-star rating. Still it's quite a classic, with most of the first half still as perfect as ever. Just turn it on and.... FOCUS!

Favorites: "Veil of Maya", "Celestial Voyage", "Sentiment", "Textures"