Progressive Metalcore entered my diverse music catalog in 2020 during COVID. I was introduced to Periphery upon suggestion by the one and only Devin Townsend. Devin had worked with Perriphery’s studio bassist and songwriter Nolly Getgood for the DTP’s Transcenjdence. Periphery came up on Twitter, and Devin said they were one of the best Prog bands today, if my memory serves me right. I was immersed in the world of Prog Metalcore, and never looked back. This led me to discover some of my favorite songs and albums. Spiritbox’s Eternal Blue entered my radar and utterly took over my listening habits for three months. I also became a huge fan of ERRA, Volumes, Currents, Make Them Suffer, and eventually the French band Novelists in 2021. Novelists was a huge discovery for me. They seemed to stand out, much like Spiritbox, but had this Jazz tone to the guitars and song structure that mentally clicked. The clean vocals weren’t my favorite in the genre, but the musicianship in Novelists was and is undeniable. You can imagine that when they debuted “Okapi” in 2024, my love for this band skyrocketed to new heights. I didn’t expect to love Novelists like this, but they became one of my most played bands of all time. The addition of Camille Contreras has brought this band to the peak of excellence for me. There are a lot of bands in the genre, but Novelists dare to be different with Pop genre blending and gorgeous Jazz and Blues guitar solos.
Coda is one of my most anticipated albums in 2025, and also just in my entire life. After so many years of reviewing albums and having expectations or preconceived notions, I have abandoned it completely. My bias is turned off. I aim to experience each album individually without comparison or objectivity. Coda lends itself to blowing all expectations and ideals about modern music out of the water. Abandon everything you expect from Novelists. Abandon everything you think about Modern Metal. It is part Progressive Metalcore, it’s part Radio Rock, and it’s part Ariana Grande in all the best ways. Experiencing this album for the first two times while I’m writing this review is one of the most titillating and enlightening experiences I’ve had. This album isn’t defined by past releases. It is not defined by genre or comparison. This album could and should be on any listening or sales chart. It is heart-wrenching, pulse-pounding, moody, aggressive, and beautiful. It’s full of catchiness and cool nuances that make it feel sleek and modern, but the vocals are so classic in a ’90s R&B tone. It’s an eclectic mix of sounds and influences. It has a Spiritbox feel with the atmospheric airiness and the layered guitar tracks for texture. But the song structure and vocals are unlike anything I have ever heard in my life. Coda stands out from any album I have heard, while remaining relevant to the Metal scene.
Coda abandons constructed genres. Say My Name is a punchy Prog Rock track with light and airy vocals and smooth guitars, definitely a welcome breath to be played on any radio station. The guitar work on this song is visionary, as well as on every song on Coda. The title track is a Metalcore-centric piece which fits the classic Novelists sound, but with the most gorgeous soaring vocals they’ve ever had. This track is genial to me, it just works so well in structure and hooks the listener in. All For Nothing is more atmospheric, more extreme, from soft to hard. It shows the incredible range of this band and the expansiveness of Camille’s voice. Her screams and cleans have exponentially improved and add much-needed dynamics to the record. Maldición de la Bruja is a Spanish track in your face with sass, attitude, and a Rap breakdown exquisitely delivered by multi-lingual Camille. This song is a surprising gem of heaviness and groove. In Heaven is a very heartfelt, atmospheric track with a million layers to dissect. This is such a departure from previous albums. I have never heard vocals this open or toned in Metal. The vocals combined with the djenty rhythmic guitar and bass remind me so much of Voyager and Periphery. This may be one of their best songs to date. Flo and Pierre are two of the best guitarists in Modern Metal, and Coda is a gigantic testament to that.
My favorite track on the album is Sleepless Nights. The way this song flows is fantastic. It is one of the most satisfying songs with a build-up. It feels like the burdens and pain are lifting off your shoulders. The guitar work is sublime, especially all the tasty bends and runs. It scratches my brain, but it is also chicken soup for the soul. It is a perfect blend of a breakup song and Prog and Modern Metal. The guitar parts are just so addictive on this song, as well as Camille’s impossibly smooth vocals. The bridge has one of the longest-held pitch-perfect notes I have ever heard in my life. The build into the solo is one of the finest pieces of music of 2025. The final chorus opens up, and Camille just belts with pure emotion. God, I love her voice, and I love this song. And, I love how it continues with 78 rue to send the theme of ends with the album. This is smart songwriting. The album’s closer K.O., sends the message home of being torn into pieces and thrust into the darkest moments of your life, and then trying to come back out of it. This is another favorite of mine on the record, and it’s just such an emotional track about having to let go. Novelists do build-ups like no other, and K.O. is such a great example.
Coda is a fantastically personal album from a band that is reinventing itself. Novelists have come out of their shells. The purity is as crisp as music gets. The technicality is mind-blowing. The song structure keeps you guessing at every turn. Regardless of genre, this is one of my favorite albums of the year and of the 2020s. This is a must-hear album for Metal lovers and Pop music lovers alike. This could be an album that runs people onto completely new music, and that is an incredible feat. I think Novelists have achieved everything they wanted to do with this album. It is a treat to hear such diverse and fantastic vocals in Metalcore, which sometimes lacks in vocal range for me. The band’s technicality is truly like anything I’ve ever heard. The speed of these musicians while maintaining clarity is unmatched. It’s not Djent with muddy tones or down-tuned just for the heaviness. Coda is crisp, clean, heavy, and vastly interesting compared to 99% of everything I’ve heard this year. I love this record and hope people give it a fair chance, as it deserves.
Metal Valkyrie 