melodic metal

Metalcore: The Best Genre in 2022?

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4/13/2022

10 minute read

    Metalcore is often a genre overlooked by the elitists.  Often the genre is associated with more “Emo” themes.  That is simply a misnomer.  Metalcore is arguably the most diverse of all subgenres.  It is a broad subgenre with millions of possibilities; some bands have a Metal version of Punk Hardcore, some Extreme Metal with Meshuggah-Esque breakdowns.  I was originally a naysayer of the subgenre.  I expected whiny, high-pitched, off-key screams, and generic guitar riffs stolen from Killswitch Engage and All That Remains.  Those derivative instances may exist, but the juggernauts of the new wave of Metalcore are reinventing the wheel.  I became educated in Metalcore really fast upon my first listen of “Circle With Me” by budding Vancouver Island Progressive Metalcore band, Spiritbox.  From there, my glass house of elitism was shattered forever.

    Spiritbox’s Eternal Blue is the album that changed Metalcore forever but seemingly came out of nowhere.  Between lineup changes and the pandemic, Spiritbox didn’t necessarily start successfully.  They were unable to tour, put the new album together in the studio on the original timeline, and were forced to find a drummer remotely.  The strife this band faced was formidable, but they turned it into something immensely positive.  Eternal Blue is a true example of “pain turned into art”.  It is a masterful record.  It is beautiful, angry, tragic, and devastatingly good.  It’s not what I expected; Holy Roller was a track that threw me off.  It’s dense, abrasive, and completely heavy.  It took me months to appreciate it.   Once I heard Circle With Me, however, I immediately understood why this band went viral.  Now, I can’t stop listening to Eternal Blue. The dramatic, sometimes bipolar, djent down-tuned chugging riffs to beautiful intricate melodies grabs every fiber of my being.  I crave their sound to the point of obsession, and I think this album did the same thing to everyone who’s heard it.  

There’s a wide spectrum of sound in Spiritbox that I’ve never heard before.  It’s an assault of layers upon layers.  Mike Stringer is known for maxing out the session data in Protools with these layers: Specifically on the beautifully heart-wrenching Alzheimer’s inspired track, Constance.  This is the emotionally heaviest song I’ve heard in nearly fifteen years (Devin’s Deadhead takes the crown for me there).  His musical composition is the most interesting I’ve heard since Devin Townsend.  The way he aligns heavy guitars or melodic shredding with Courtney’s vocals is nothing short of visionary.  Many bands have attempted this sonic chemistry, but Mike and Courtney have a cornerstone on the chemistry that I don’t think will ever be matched.  This is why Eternal Blue is one of the greatest Metal records of all time and has brought Metalcore back to the forefront.

Once I became obsessed with Spiritbox, I went on to find other bands that shared a pension for Progressive Metalcore.  Below is a list of bands that add to why I think Metalcore is the best subgenre in 2021 and 2022.

https://spiritbox.com/


Architects

    This may seem like an obvious name drop, as Architects have been dropping some of the best records in modern Metal for the last ten years.  They write relatable, coarse, heavy, and melodic tracks with excellent breakdowns.  They sit at the more aggressive end of Metalcore, with screaming and down-tuned guitars while staying accessible.  The band has been millions of fans’ entry into the extensive world of Metalcore.  Tracks like Minesweeper, Day in Day Out, and Doomsday are blisteringly heavy and coarse with newer addition Sam Carter’s style.  His screams and cleans are drastically different from each other, to an almost bipolar level.  Their music is catchy, but not repetitive or derivative.  It truly sticks in your mind; Whether it’s a riff or a vocal hook, Architects becomes addictive just as well as Spiritbox.  Josh Middleton, another newer addition officially joining in 2017, is a driving force on lead guitars.  Coming from Progressive Metalcore powerhouse Sylosis, Josh has made his imprint on Architects’ riffs.  I think the band has gained success due to the innovation of Sam and Josh’s contribution and unique styles.  At least, I’ve enjoyed the band more since Middleton began riffing for them.

    For Those Who Wish To Exist is the latest from Architects. Released at the height of Covid on February 26th, 2021, this is one of the most poignant records of the decade.  In my opinion, this record is a momentous record for all of music.  The album is one of the heaviest records to climb the US Billboard charts in my lifetime.  It got the recognition and credit it deserved for tracks like Black Lungs, Animals, and Dead Butterflies all frequenting successful Satellite radio.  This record is not what I consider radio-friendly, but it is deeply relatable and tragically accurate for Covid-19’/s terrorist reign on the world.  It captures the loss, the loneliness, the falling to addiction, and the rage for stupidity amongst the human race.  I unequivocally love this record and find it to be the highlight of Architects’ career.

https://architectsofficial.com/

ERRA

    Talk about underrated bands that seemingly come out of nowhere; the Progressive Metalcore scientists Erra hit me like a god damned truck.  These guys put out harsh rap vocal lines over smooth clean choruses, right before obliterating breakdowns.  Jesse Cash on vocals and guitars has written some of my absolute favorite riffs of all time.  Dancing between Killswitch, Tool, and Meshuggah’s off-beat chugging, it’s a savory ride of guitar flavors that I am always impressed by.  It’s impossible to get bored of Erra’s irregular and entropic music.  It switches between fast down-tuned riffs, atmospheric interludes, and catchy vocals over blast beats.  There’s also melodic shredding underneath the chunky riffs; a contrast I absolutely love.  Cash and company compose songs with such deliberation and care so it flows through you like a symphony.  I appreciate the music, but the lyrics are even more of a reason to listen to Erra.  They eloquently talk about death, astronomy, psychology, neurology, societal issues with technological advancement, mythology, and mental health.  Their storytelling and emotional transparency are what sets this band apart from all other Metalcore bands for me.

Erra, the self-titled record, is an astounding mix in a plethora of titillating ways.  It’s grinding, blue-collar chuggy, and then refined and technical, and then warm and heartfelt.  It’s surprisingly heavy, but the dynamics and smooth changes are what make it an essential Metalcore album.  Snowblood opens with speed and breakdown shreds, continuing into equally disjointed Gungrave with an absolutely devastating breakdown at the end, and then it breaks and surprises into Melodic Divisionary.  House of Glass is where the Prog shines through and captures me more than the Metalcore aspects.  There’s a blinding ode to Tool in this song that is mouthwatering and unexpected.  There’s a break in the music and this perfect off-time riff pre-verse that blows my mind every time I hear it.  I won’t spoil the rest of the easter eggs in this brilliant record, but it’s a must-listen all the way through.

Essential Tracks: Snowblood, Vanish Canvas ft. Courtney LaPlante, Monolith

https://www.erraband.com/

Periphery

    I doubt there’s a Modern Metal fan in America that hasn’t heard of Periphery, but just in case you need an incentive to listen to Prog Metalcore juggernauts Periphery, I’ll spell it out for you.  Washington D.C may not be progressive these days, but at least it has birthed one of the greats of Progressive Metalcore.  I have yet to see a band in the genre with more lineup changes, which is off-putting for me.  It can cause inconsistencies and identity confusion, making the music derivative.  Not with these guys.  They are a band who have only improved with changes and time.  The current lineup is a perfect medley of styles, technical ability, and some of the best musical chemistry I’ve ever seen.  Periphery IV: Hail Stan is an album for the ages that went nearly viral.  It is one of the highest-ranking Progressive Metalcore albums of the century, and rightly so.

    While Spencer Sotelo’s vocals took a while for me to warm up to, it was their live videos that grabbed my attention. While some male vocalists in the upper register lose tonal quality and pitch control in a live setting, Spencer is an absolute rock.  I am baffled by the lack of reaction videos to Spencer’s live and in-studio performances. His range and steadiness in infinite style changes and emotional dynamics are unbelievable.  This is demonstrated best in the song Reptile, one of the craziest songs I have ever heard.  His ability to keep up with the virtuoso composition while staying very current is unprecedented.  He makes me angry.  He makes me smile.  And, he even makes me teary.  Lune is one of the most beautiful vocal performances I have heard and destroys me every time I hear it.

    Are three guitarists too many?  Ask yourself that, and then listen to Misha Mansoor, Mark Holcomb, and Jake Bowen.  Three very distinctive and different guitarists that ebb and flow and layer over one another flawlessly.  The guitar riffs dance over Matt Halpern’s metronomic and catchy beats.  Halpern has a pension for creating a perfect and effortless pocket, most evident in songs like It’s Only Smiles, Marigold, and Flatline.  This band is one of the most talented bands I’ve ever heard, without being cheesy and neoclassical.  Three technical shredding and beautifully melodic, atop a hell of an inventive drummer, underneath one of the most diverse vocalists I’ve ever heard; it’s a recipe for brilliance.   This recipe is profoundly shown in Satellites, a song of their career, in my opinion.  Not a fan of Metalcore?  Listen to these guys, and you’ll be hooked for life.

  Essential Tracks: Marigold, Satellites,  Reptile, It’s Only Smiles, Alpha

http://periphery.net/

Monuments


    On the heavier side of Metalcore, Monuments brings it hard and groovy.  These guys have a lot of similarities to Periphery, but a completely different feel to the music.  As a drum nerd, Monuments fills a need that no other band on this list can; a flair for flam.  The use of flam on the snare adds urgency and a unique flavor to the music.  Mike Malyan has an unexampled take on Metalcore drumming; it’s more of a Punk or Post Rock style that shows exceptional technicality.  He can also blast well.  The whole band is a quartet of sleepers.   You’d never expect the caliber of a technical ability underneath the catchiness and softness of some radio-friendly tracks.  Monuments is an interesting mix of styles.  I had never truly listened to them until researching for this article, but they have piqued my interest.  While they can be blistering and grinding heavy, they can also be almost sweetly melodic.  The mix is crazy, but it works on every song I’ve heard so far.

    I’ve found that most singular vocalists in Metalcore have bipolar styles. Howard Jones from KSE days had his unique belt and soaring vocals to supreme gutturals and harmonic screams.  M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold is another upper-level example of the range in Metalcore.  Andy Cizek, the new addition in 2019 after the sad and unexpected departure of Chris Barretto, is a powerhouse of melodic and rhythmic texture.  Andy has a hell of an upper range.  It may not be for everyone, as it leans towards a twangy side of cleans, but I appreciate his quick switch from high twang to almost gutturals. 

 Despite the heaviness and melodic twang vocals, I believe Monuments is a great introduction to Metalcore for people that usually listen to Punk or Rock, which is really what Metalcore is all about.  It’s a transition between old hardcore and Modern Metal.  Bands like Monuments could bring Metal back to the forefront where it belongs; Celebrated and appreciated.  Their new album, In Stasis, drops tomorrow April 14th, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Essential Tracks: False Providence, Cardinal Red, Animus, Stygian Blue

Home

Veil of Maya

    A Deathcore band turned Metalcore, Chicago quartet Veil of Maya, have created their own style of Metal.   If Periphery and Lorna Shore had an atmospheric baby, this band would be the maniacal product.  Some tracks such as newer Viscera, Mikasa, and Members-Only remind me of European bands like The Unguided and Amaranthe.  There are electronic and atmospheric aspects underneath yelling Punk vocals, and then full-on breakdowns with rhythmic screaming.  The tracks are pretty chaotic and may be hard to follow at times.  This is not your entry-level Metalcore band and is not necessarily my style, but there’s a lot to appreciate with Veil of Maya.  Definitely check out Spanish beat-based Danger featuring legendary guitarist Jeff Loomis.  

Essential Tracks: Doublespeak, Viscera, Outsider

Veil Of Maya

Wage War

    Wage War, the breakout band on Sirius XM Octane, is the quintessential mix of Hardcore and Melodic Metal band that illustrates Modern Metalcore at its height.  They have a wide range of tracks that show what they’re capable of.  Some songs echo A Day To Remember, some echo Killswitch Engage’s new era, and some echo the heavy breakdowns of Spiritbox.  Where technicality may be forefront in the others on this list, Wage War is more brutal and Slipknot with their heaviness.  They have no regard for song structure on songs like Stitch.  It’s just all-out brutality and searingly slow breakdowns with strings flapping against fretboards, and I love it.  

While most of the hit songs are not my desired flavor of Metalcore, deeper cuts are insanely tasty.  Yet another American band, hailing from Ocala, Florida, is bringing Metalcore back to the masses.  Wage War has already scored a tour with Three Days Grace in July.  It’s a huge billing for them and will hopefully gain them even more respect amongst American Metalheads.

Essential Tracks: Take The Fight, Circle the Drain, Relapse, Surrounded

http://wagewarband.com/

Any Given Day

    One day whilst browsing Youtube for good covers, I stumbled upon a rugby-player-looking big-necked dude in a black suit beautifully singing Diamonds by Rihanna.  I almost closed the browser, until that scream and riffing hit, and my jaw unhinged.  German Hardcore/Melodic Metalcore band Any Given Day went viral with this shockingly beautiful but heavy cover, and I fell in love with Dennis Diehl’s smooth delivery.  This huge man has the sweetest and smoothest clean vocal I’ve heard since Howard Jones but has wicked gutturals rarely heard in Metalcore.  His voice is stunning, mesmerizing on songs like Apocalypse, Home is Where the Heart Is, and Farewell.  While very heavy and containing many breakdowns, they are one of the more melodic bands along with Spiritbox on this list.

    This band is not a one-trick pony or formulaic, no two songs sound similar to me.  It’s a very diverse and emotionally ranged catalog.  They have breakdowns, rapping grunting vocals, and down-tuned guitars that echo the Hardcore veins of the band.  The Melodic parts are echoing Killswitch Engage, Trivium, and heartful songs from All That Remains.  Any Given Day incorporates guitar layering instead of Electronic effects for atmosphere, and that is something I appreciate.  I love their flavor of Metalcore and hope they gain more popularity in the states for a North American tour billing.

Essential Tracks; Arise Ft. Matt Heafy of Trivium, Home Is Where the Heart is, Savior

https://arising-empire.com/artists/any-given-day

Honorable Mentions:

Northlane

Northlane – Carbonized [Official Music Video]

Conquer Divide

Conquer Divide – “Atonement” (Official Audio)

Bad Omens

BAD OMENS – THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND (Official Music Video)

More Metalcore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metalcore_bands

“The Heart of the Matter” by Triosphere Review

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Triosphere, a band that has toured with some of the best Metal bands around, has released a brand new album in 2015.  Triosphere is a Norwegian Melodic Heavy Metal band with killer power vocals and excellent low bass lines from Ida Haukland and speedy melodic guitar riffs and solos from Marius “Silver” Bergesen and Tor Ole Byberg.  They also enlisted new drummer Kenneth Tarneby from Course of Fate.  The band began in 2004 as a trio of musicians, but toured with another guitarist for awhile until making him an official member.  All music and lyrics are written by Ida, who has a very unique sound to her voice and bass playing.  All these members combined with sublime writing is surprisingly grabbing and catching, pulling you in from the intro immediately.  One of the most unique aspects of this band is the guitar work and the gritty but epicly powerful vocals.  These aspects sound drastically refined and matured, making their new album “The Heart of the Matter” pretty excellent.

 

I hadn’t heard this band before their new release and went into the album blindly, not sure what to expect from their listed styles.  I didn’t expect a band this amazing or such an addictive mix of sounds that are familiar to Power Metal, but so different from the music I’m used to coming from Norway.  The Melodic nuances in Triosphere’s brand of Heavy Metal is unlike anything I’ve heard.  The vocals are all over the place with power, technique, and style on “The Heart of the Matter”.  There’s so many different vocal styles used from Ida, it is almost like having two different lead singers on nearly every song.  The guitars are very mixed bag as well, ranging from speedy technical tapping solos, to shredding, to slow and droning melodic solos.  The bass is pretty audible throughout every track and is definitely one of the best aspects to the range of music.  I also like how loud the drums are on this album.  Normally, loud drums become cheesy and overused, but Triosphere really balances it well.  These high quality and remarkable aspects are constant throughout the album and make it very noteworthy in 2015.

Tracks like Steal Away the Light, The Sphere, and The Heart’s Dominion off of the album really stand out because there’s really nothing out there quite like them.  Remedy is also a killer melodic track, showing some different styles and breaks in Ida’s voice as well as a different take on guitars.  Overall, “The Heart of the Matter” is incredibly solid and really catchy all the way through.  There is nothing overused or redundant about the album, which is becoming a limited trait in Heavy Metal these days.  As for the power vocals, it is a matter of taste on whether or not you think their cheesy or over dramatic, and I definitely do not have this opinion.  The vocals on this album blew me away and I found them spectacular.  Triosphere absolutely captivated with this new album and captured everything you could ever want in the melodic side of Metal and Rock.

 

Overall Album Rating 9/10

 

Also Check out: Serenity, Nemesea, Kobra and the Lotus, Crucified Barbara, Unleash the Archers

 

http://www.thetriosphere.com/

 

http://shop.afm-records.de/en/triosphere-the-heart-of-the-matter-digipak-en.htmlorig_triosphere

Fall Death Metal Highlights

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Fall of 2014 has entailed an assault of highly anticipated Death Metal releases.  Compared to the whole of 2014, this fall has become extremely heavy with new pounding releases.  There’s anything from Black Metal, Gothenburg and Swedecore, to Theatrical Death metal, making for many tastes to choose from.  Below is some of the highlighted releases for Death Metal and simple reviews to give an insight of what to pick up at your record store.  I will include less mainstream releases in deeper reviews later.

 

Cavalera Conspiracy

 

The Thrash Metal band brought to fame by the talented and hardcore Cavalera brothers, is back in 2014 with Pandemonium.  The band is prized for taking Thrash Metal and making it even more extreme, fast, and technical.  With their albums you expect high intensity, demonized lyrics, and an assault of drums and guitars.  The brothers have created their own brand of metal that has become extremely popular in America.  Their previous albums Inflikted and Blunt Force Trauma were scorching with fast and grinding riffs and intense vocals, mixing energy and thrashing with technicality.  Their previous sound was excellent, but their new sound is a departure and even heavier than the previous albums.

 

Rather than being Modern Thrash Metal, the band has gone for a Grindcore sound that is certainly more popular in the 2010s.  The lyrics are less audible and more shouty on Pandemonium, making it a little more hardcore than previous albums.  The tracks have a raw sound, showing that their music is refreshingly not over produced.  The drums are even more highlighted by Igor on this album, with his technical and fast Thrash drumming.  The album sounds like a raw 80’s Thrash album, throwing back to the days of Slayer and Death Angel.  Overall, it’s a typical Grindcore and Thrash album that any fans of the genre will foam over and enjoy every track on it.  It is pure unedited, intense, assaulting, pounding noise, which is exactly what most Grindcore fans and bands strive for.  It is everything you expect in a typical Thrash Metal album, which is why I absolutely dislike this album.

 

Pandemonium is nothing special.  It is a poorly mixed and poorly arranged compilation of pure noise.  Yes the Cavalera brothers have made a big imprint on Metal, but this album does not live up to the expectations of the two.  Everything is uneven and distorted, making it difficult to pick out any good or catchy qualities in the music,  Thrash Metal continues to lack any changes or dynamics that make it desirable for me to listen to.  This album is not even close to the Thrash Metal that was recorded as demos in the late 70’s and 80’s, it is even worse quality than those original demos of Metallica and Slayer and Anthrax.  Pandemonium is a step backwards for metal.

Album Rating 4/10

 

Machine Head

 

Rob Flynn and Machine Head are back in 2014.  The American Thrash Metal pioneers release Bloodstone and Diamonds, a highly anticipated and talked about album that is currently blowing up Facebook dashboards and metal sites.  Of course the band has remained in the spotlight with their recently canceled North American tour with Epica and Rob Flynn criticizing other bands.  These controversial media centered stories have everyone in America talking about Machine Head, making them one of the top artists in rock of 2014.  Finally, the band has the new content to back up the outbursts of new and old fans with Bloodstone and Diamonds.

 

The new album is heavy, drilling, tight, and intense with every instrument in a devilish harmony.  The guitar work on this album is melodic and technical, like past albums, but even more refined.  Each song is different from the rest, some have more melodic undertones while others are just pure Thrash Metal.  The slow parts to the heavy and intense breakdowns show that the entire band put a lot of effort into this album.   It is a huge departure from Unto the Locust, but perhaps in a good way.  The new albums is back to their Thrash Metal roots, which certainly makes the older fans happier.  However, the band manages to preserve a more melodic sound with some clean vocals and dueling guitar parts, making the album more enjoyable to listen to than most Thrash Metal albums.

 

I am not a fan of Machine Head and Rob Flynn’s opinions, so I will admit the new album doesn’t excite me as much.  I have never been a huge Thrash Metal fan, because I find the music to be just pure noise without any true direction or talent.  The genre is full of garage bands who strive to pound instruments as loud and as fast as they can, but not all bands considered Thrash Metal are just noise.  That’s Machine Head’s redeeming quality in my eyes and is why I don’t entirely dislike Bloodstone and Diamonds.  The artistry of mixing heavy and fast playing with melodic and slow characteristics is an incredible quality to a metal band; Machine Head is certainly one of those bands who succeeds at this artistry and why they will keep having highly rated and proclaimed albums.  Bloodstone and Diamonds is much better than I thought it would be.

 

Overall Album Rating 7/10

 

Nachtblut

 

German Metal Band, Nachtblut, bring us a new dark and disturbing album in 2014 with Chimonas.  The band is known for making German Speed and Black Metal with heavy guitars rattling growling, and haunting synth parts to send shivers down your spine.  The band also infuses Folk themes into their blackened metal, like an extreme dark and twisted version of Eluveitie.  The band’s instrumentation is really tight, technical, and all over the place.  The changing tempos and waning rhythms keep the music interesting and far departed from being one dimensional.  While you may not speak full German, their music is honestly still enjoyable and fun to listen.  The well written quality in their music is actually quite surprising and desirable.

 

Nachtblut’s new album, Chimonas, is all of these qualities refined and boosted, proving Black Metal is very much alive.  With non stop heavy and dark tracks like “Gotteskrieger”, “Kalt wie Grab”, and “Schwarz”, the band appeals to the traditional Black Death Metal fans.  Then the band proves they’re anything but one dimensional with softer sorrow filled tracks like “Und immer wenn die Nacht anbricht” and folk metal anthem “Wien 1683”.  The tracks are all incredibly different from each other and while versed in different styles of European Metal.  Every song stands out from anything I’ve heard this year, in a good way.  As far as Black Metal albums go, Chimonas is one of  the best I’ve heard for quite some time and highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys European Death Metal.

 

Overall Album Rating 8/10

 

At The Gates

Renowned Melodic Death Metal and Gothenburg origin band, At The Gates has come to the ears of American listeners with new album At War With Reality.  The Swedish Death Metal band mixes extreme vocals, technical driving guitars, double bass power drumming, and true melodic sounds for an extremely unique form of metal.  Past albums and this latest one also have roots in American Thrash Metal, inspired by Slayer specifically.  At the Gates also differentiates from other Gothenburg bands as they have shrieking vocals as opposed to guttural growls.  The band also doesn’t include dueling soloing guitarists like In Flames and Omnium Gatherum.  They have their own take on Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal, proving the genre is full of unique and polished gems,

 

At War With Reality is an intense, blood curdling, spine grinding Death Metal with catchy melodic undertones from the guitars.  It is a typical At The Gates record with absolutely heavy breakdowns and creative offbeat shredding.  The vocals are typical from the band, hard to understand and sometimes abrasive, clashing with the downtuned shredding.  The vocals on this album sound pretty misplaced in my opinion and make the music sound emotionally flat, lacking any inspiration.  While the album is great jamming Death Metal, it lacks any dimension or meaning to keep you playing the record more than once.  The band may be legendary, but are not immune to becoming one dimensional or a rerun of a record.  Yes, At War With Reality is different from Terminal Spirit Disease and With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness, but it lacks any qualities that made those albums Death Metal classics.  It is certainly not the caliber I expected, especially after Slaughter of the Soul.  At War With Reality may be a highly purchased and loved album of 2014, but I can’t find any reason why it is so popular.  Everything is so subdued on this record and plain, lacking any strife or passion in the workmanship.  Either the band is tired and have gone for a mainstream sound, or the mastering of the record has turned everything good about the band down and one leveled.  This album could be a lot better with more time spent on the production and mastering.

 

Overall Album Rating: 4/10

 

Devilment

 

Devilment is a project created by guitarists Daniel Finch and Colin Parks, with the help from Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth.  Devilment is a Death Metal project, mixing macabre themes and heavy instrumentation.  The inspirations are typical; Witchcraft, Goth, Erotic themes, and whatever seems to amuse the writer.  The project aims to be a little more mainstream than typical Death Metal and be creative and interesting to see live.  Their new album The Great and Secret Show, is a mix of modern metal and underground metal sound.  It is definitely a unique release in 2014, but is getting mixed reviews from all different metal fans.

 

The Great and Secret Show is unique, but nothing new to music.  It is filled with Dani Filth’s typical grunting and howling vocals as well as his cheeky and creative lyrics.  The album sounds like a mix between “Repo! The Genetic Opera” and a remix of a Rammstein album.  It is definitely more theatrical than Dani Filth’s other projects, even more theatrical and dramatic than Cradle of Filth.  The album could definitely be a horror movie soundtrack, because of the darkness and simplicity to it.  It has an interesting mix Gothic Metal, Thrash Metal, Extreme Metal, and Symphonic Metal blended.  However, the album lacks anything impressive or surprising.  It is a very one dimensional album, lacking any dynamics or any catching sounds.  It’s simply just flat.  The theatrics and themes carry the actual musical content much farther than the music itself, meaning without the mood and Gothic feel the release would probably be a huge flop.

 

Overall Album Rating: 4/10

Ghost Brigade Release New Transcending Melodeath Album

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Finnish Melodic Death and Doom Metal band, Ghost Brigade, are one of the up and coming Death Metal bands as of now, even though they’ve written three absolute pounding albums since their birth in 2005.  The Finnish band melds hopeful and beautiful melodies with dark and heavy instrumentation, with absolutely incredible chest rattling growls.  The melded sound is unlike any metal out there, rivaling Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum in Melodic Death Metal, but remaining their own sound.  What sets them apart is their resonating and trendsetting melodic clean singing from lead vocalist Manne Ikonen.  The band is dark and moody, driving with subtleties and power, making for a sound that engulfs your senses from the first listen.  There is something ethereal, something unexplained, something inaudibly incredible about this band’s sound.  Which is why their new album IV-One With The Storm is one of my favorite albums of 2014.

 

Ghost Brigade’s new album IV-One With The Storm is everything I expected in a new release from them, but it exceeds so much more than my expectations.  The album is as beautifully crafted and melodic as Isolation Songs and as heavy as Until Fear No Longer Defines Us.  The instrumentation is melodic and gripping, with well executed fast playing and driving rhythm. It sounds like you’re the pallbearer in a mystic land, trudging your way through shin high grasses and wet stones, with this album playing as your soundtrack.  It paints so many distinct visions in your head as you listen through it.  Each song is an entirely different soundtrack.  Ghost Brigade nailed their classic Melodic Death Metal sound with this album, and enhanced it to the best possible level.

 

The epic album begins with “Wretched Blues”, a fast strumming track with deathly melodic tones, making a dark and ominous sound.  The over six minute long track has this darkness hanging over it, with light synth in the background.  The song is haunting, slowly morphing and building with infinite layers of guitars and passion.  The sound of this album slightly reminds me of what Type O Negative achieved in their music.  Slower track “Departures” is a different track for Ghost Brigade, featuring mostly clean vocals and a less depressing sound.  It’s a brilliantly written track, succeeding at being something new from Ghost Brigade without being a negative departure from the band.  “Aurora” is an emotionally heavy track, a quality the band polished so well through the years.  It builds up from Death Metal to a melodic verse, then keeps changing with different dynamics and a tempo change.  I loved this track from the moment the band released it and find it fits very well on this diverse album.  “Disembodied Voices” is an ominous and dark track, full of melody and emotion, keeping with the typical mood of Ghost Brigade.  The song sounds of healing and hope, proving the music is just as meaningful as power ballads.  The driving instrumentation of this song pulls you in with a catchy beat.  The lead guitar adds subtleties with mini solos throughout the last half of the song, adding that truly haunting melodic sound Ghost Brigade is famous for.  The outro also includes light synth and muted vocals, leading into the next track.

 

“Electra Complex” is  creepy, mysterious, elusive, soundtrack that takes your breath away with its effortless and drifting vocals and instrumentation.  This song almost sounds like a partner to “Soulcarvers”, with similar guitar work and slow headbanging feel.  It is absolutely brilliant in its delivery.  “Electra Complex” may be one of the best songs Ghost Brigade has ever put out.  Yet another song on this album has left me speechless and with a sore neck.  “Stones and Pillars” changes the mood up from the previous tracks, proving that this album has even heavier tracks than Isolation Songs.  This track is heavy all the way through with chest rattling extreme growls, taking a break from the swaying clean vocals.  Then once again the album changes with melodic beautiful track, “Anchored”, that builds back into a hardcore sound.  The melodic and Death influences sound like they’re in a very heated battle on this track, as the tone switches back and forth like an argument.  “The Knife” is a very rhythm driven track and heavy with all elements from Ghost Brigade.  The use of high, ear piercing synth adds a new eerie and Hallows Eve touch to it.  It is a very appropriate song for this time of year.  The change of style throughout the song is refreshing and captivating too, making a complete new sound for the band.

 

“Long Way to the Graves” is a self descriptive track.  It is a long dragging, influential, slow dark ballad that will move you, taking you away to a completely new state of mind.  This song is beautiful, haunting, and inspiring all at the same time.  Listening to this track is an indescribable experience.  It is deflating and depressing, yet uplifting and inspiring with beauty.  This track feels like a soundtrack for driving through the woodlands of Finland, back from a funeral and straight to a woman you love.  It is an incredible track to say the least.  “Elämä on tulta” is the perfect ending track for this exquisite Melodeath album.  It begins slow and ominous, building into a guitar driven instrumental part, then into resonating growls and synth, continuing to place haunting music in your mind.  This song is every characteristic about Ghost Brigade has ever showed on every album all put into one song.  It is full of energy, unlike any track I’ve heard from the band yet.  The title translates from Finnish to English “Life is a fire”, which is the absolute perfect title for such a powerful track. It leaves you satisfied, yet wanting more.  Ending the moral of the album on an aggressive note, but still filled with the hopeful melodies echoing in your head.

 

Ghost Brigade once again creates the most unique, heavy, melodic, emotive, transcending album of Melodic Death Metal.  They have raised every bar and have climbed to a new height with the flawlessness of this album.  It is resonating and soaring with pure passion, tangible with conviction.  They make you believe that you’re in a deep chasm of depression, but also lift you out with this beautiful sound of hope.  Somehow this band creates incredible emotion filled music, describing emotions or lack of emotions with only three struck chords.  Their music is unlike anything I’ve ever heard, regardless of genre.  The prominent use of clean vocals on this album also makes the music extremely dynamic compared to previous albums, setting them in the center of true Melodeath.  I really can’t say enough good things about this album.  It is rare, but sometimes an album is just so fantastic that it becomes indescribable.  I hope this very descriptive and emotion fueled review is enough to make you listen to this album, as well as check out Ghost Brigade’s entire catalog.  They are the future of Melodic Death Metal.

 

Rating 9.6/10 This album sets the quality bar high for metal at the end of 2014, and I don’t think any other new release will top it for quite some time.

http://www.nihilindustry.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ghostbrigade

Review of Swedish Metal Band Amaranthe’s MASSIVE ADDICTIVE

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AmaranthePress-3-1020x471

Insight to the Brand New Energetic Album from Amaranthe

 

Gothenburg multi genre group, Amaranthe, are famous for powerful and catchy hooks and pummeling riffs.  They create a new and fresh sound on every album that cannot be heard from any band in the world.  Jake E, the birther and lead male vocalist, has created an A Team of brilliant and passionate musicians, bursting with personality through every line of music.  Elize Ryd provides mesmerizing and unendlessly powerful vocals with a poppy upbeat sound, pairing well with Jake E’s Power and Theatrical vocals.  Olof provides masterful riffing and ragingly dynamic solos, bringing the true Gothenburg sound to Amaranthe.  Henrik is the new comer, providing chest growls and intensity, contrasting with Elize’s sweetness and Jake E’s theatrics.  Johan pulls the whole rhythm section together with low booming, hard hitting bass lines that blend in perfectly with the music.  Morten provides heavy perfectly timed drumming, combining with the added beats perfectly.  Every member comes together for a smashingly addictive tight sound, a sound I’ve never heard before.  Amaranthe brilliantly combines melodic metal and pop, perfectly layered under three completely unique vocalists.  No other group in the world can master the mix Amaranthe has created with utter soaring passion.  Amaranthe will continue this journey of power as their third album, Massive Addictive, brings them to the top of European Metal.

 

Massive Addictive is an absolutely perfect title for Amaranthe’s new album, as every track is an ear worm of brilliance.  Every track is roaring and raging with huge sound, exploding and encompassing every sense.  This album is everything Amaranthe is, turned up to a legendary level of pure chest pounding power.  The hooks and beats are perfect and energetic, making you want to jump on the nearest desk and dance.  The heaviness makes you feel that adrenaline rush of a full raging pit at a concert, simply just through your home stereo.  The vocals are performed with incredible ease and mastery, but also a passion that is unparalleled.  The dubstep and synths are used heavily, but contrasted with smashing drums and guitars for a perfect mix.  The sound is overwhelming and the layers are plentiful.   Massive Addictive has succeeded all expectations and muted every negative thing ever said about this band’s music.  It is purely incredible.

 

Massive Addictive opens with an uplifting power track, Dynamite, that fits Amaranthe’s inspiring themes and explosive energy.  The chorus and verses are catchy and powerful, like “The Nexus”, injected with adrenaline.  Right away Massive Addictive pulls you in with purely tantalizing and mesmerizing power from every vocalist and every instrument.  Drop Dead Cynical, the lead single, provides fast paced rhythmic epicness, bound to repeat in your head upon first listen.  Jake E and Elize’s attitudinal vocals on Drop Dead Cynical what really pull you in on this particular track, as well as sick riffage from Olof.  This song is definitely the perfect mix of heavy metal and pop beats.  Trinity is a blazing rhythmic breakdown track, with all three vocalists having equal parts throughout the song.  It is inspiring and uplifting, providing an anthem that begged to be written all along.  Elize’s innocent and sultry vocals on this song rival “Amaranthine”.  The title track off the album, Massive Addictive, encompassess the main meaning of the name, building up into a heavy punching hook.  They really put everything they had in their hearts, minds, and talents into this entire album, and it impresses more and more with every song.

 

Digital World is a revolutionary new age metal track that touches on the world’s obsession with technology.  It is one of the heaviest tracks on the album, making it a true hit and gem.  The chorus is a new level of catchy with perfectly harmonized vocals from the clean singers.  I also enjoyed Henrik’s opening lines on each verse.  The bridge is a highlight of Amaranthe’s  pummeling and heavy side.  Digital World proves Massive Additive is Amaranthe’s heaviest album yet and that their dynamic sound can keep growing and expanding.  True is a slow mesmerizing power ballad with brilliant harmonizing and a beautiful piano track under the millions of layers.  Elize’s vocals shine on this song, showing masterful control and a range that can lift you off your feet.  True is Amaranthe’s best ballad yet.  True is stunning, beautiful and inspiring, as well as innocent.  Unreal lets each vocalist shine perfectly with a rhythmic groundbreaking track, suiting well to fighting movies and video games.  Olof’s solos get better and better with each track, Unreal containing a Van Halen and classic rock sound.  I knew Olof was underrated as a guitarist, but this album proves he deserves to be on the short list for best guitarist.  Over and Done is a personal and soft track, a true brilliant power ballad of man and women versus the world.  It pulls the listener in better than any track Amaranthe has ever created.  The innocence of Over and Done is so addictive.

 

Danger Zone puts listeners back on their feet with an adrenaline rushed and aggression filled track, Henrik setting the tone with chest rattling growls atop technical instrumentation.  Danger Zone is the most metal themed track on the album, also containing a screaming and shredding guitar solo.  Elize also puts her two cents in with an incredible high note in the bridge, as well as background vocals containing masterful and flowing runs.  Skyline shows Amaranthe can soar through the atmosphere with limitless dynamics and technicality.  This track also has a solo that captures my attention as it is one of the longest guitar solos from the band.  The bridge is purely instrumental, allowing your ears a break from the captivating vocals, showing true musicianship.  Massive Addictive speeds up with pocket riding track, An Ordinary Abnormality, perfectly rhyming in this epic Power metal track.  Morten shows his speed and change up skills on this track, with insanely technical and hard hitting drum beats that are front and center.  This is one of the best instrumentally written tracks Amaranthe has ever done.  The album suddenly closes with the innocent and driving track, Exhale, showing the honest and passionate side of Amaranthe beautifully.  Exhale is the perfect closing track, as you let the album flow through you like an intense action filled movie.

 

Massive Addictive is the best of Amaranthe’s talents yet, as the band continues to find themselves in the ever changing world of music.  Amaranthe has created something unique, something tantalizing, and something you just have to hear to believe with this latest album.  Their music has always been hard to put in one genre to describe it, but now I just see their music as indescribable.  Every aspect, every layer, every piece of this album sounds perfectly executed and produced.  Massive Addictive also gives each member a chance to shine.  Passed albums Elize tended to dominate with power.  Now, Amaranthe are as tight and as talented as ever.  Upon three listens, you may realize the album is truly addictive.  I cannot get enough of Amaranthe or their new album, Massive Addictive.

 

Rating 9/10 Massive Addictive is Amaranthe’s most solid album yet and is hands down in my top 5 of best metal albums of 2014.

Official Website: http://www.amaranthe.se/

Drop Dead Cynical Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdyExxpd3Pg

Trinity Lyric Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2e_3ZnJcTE