Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Northlane - Discoveries (2011)
Throughout the past year and a half (as of this review), I've made many different Revolution/Sphere discoveries, and Northlane is one of those bands. Since their 2010 EP Hollow Existence, they've been building up a strong fanbase. Their first full album Discoveries was released on 11/11/11, the day that two of the greatest computer games arrived, Skyrim and Minecraft. Djent-ish metalcore fans can chill and enjoy the music without comparing the bands to the other same tier.
OK, yes, there might be a few similarities to other bands, but they're very subtle! Architects was their most obvious influence, with Northlane taking their band name from one of Architects' songs. However, this band twists their influences into a unique masterful sound, as they explore the spectrum of modern metal.
The brief technical bass intro in "Dispossession" might catch some people off-guard, but the drums, guitars, and vocals make a perfect entrance! They kick things up to high gear without slowing down much. The band can really balance riff melody and killer breakdowns without ever wimping out. A clean ballad-ish song follows with highlight "Abrasumente", standing out with an honest clean chorus. More clean singing appears in "Comatose", building up within the eerie as sh*t atmosphere.
"Transcending Dimensions" proves that progressiveness can dark melody that's far different from other progressive bands like In the Woods... The title intermission is a nice time to chill out. It's quite epic and beautiful, starting off with serene ambient chords that soon build up into a stylistic djenty climax. A lot of the diverse sound of this band is summarized without having to use vocals, and the bass and drums gain tight insanity. "Corruption" is my favorite track of the album, and right after the intro, you'll encounter heavy verses worth headbanging to, with complex drumming. This mix of ambient and brutal has never been demonstrated so flawlessly elsewhere!
"Exposure" seems to stray off a bit, with a more average-sounding chorus. The singing could probably have taken out of the chorus as there's little point there. Anyone following the band since the beginning may know "Metamorphosis", re-recorded from the Hollow Existence EP, having some heavy songwriting. "Solace" (or "Solitude" in some editions) definitely has the djenty metalcore vibes Within the Ruins and Invent Animate would have later. All of the band's strength is unleashed once more in "I Shook Hands With Death", dominating with wicked instrumentation/vocal talent. It's quite impressive how the band can end it all in a devastating bang without being too much of an abrupt cut-off. Props to this band for that!
Northlane can perform some f***ing brutal technicality in conjunction with ethereal melody, in professional form worth playing over and over again. This band has proven themselves ahead of their peers, and the game ain't over for them. It was just getting started!
Favorites: "Dispossession", "Abrasumente", "Discoveries", "Corruption", "I Shook Hands With Death"