Releases November 17th via Music Theories / Mascot Label Group
Experimental Progressive Metal thinkers, Earthside defied every boundary you could imagine within music with breakout release “A Dream In Static” in 2015 and highly acclaimed singles like “All We Ever Knew and Loved”. It is a record that fused philosophy, metaphysics, Prog, Ambient, and instrumentals into a long sonic journey and was highly well received by the Metal community. Anything new and profound, whether it be emotionally or mentally significant seems to hit the Metal community’s ears just right. “Let the Truth Speak” is another genre breaking mind bending record that I know will be another critically acclaimed hit. Was this record worth nearly breaking up the original base lineup? Earthside answered that question upon completing this hugely ambitious undertaking and finding themselves as inspired as 16 year olds finding their path for the first time.
Anytime an album is rooted in deep thinking, self reflection, or claims to be a mirror to the existential self, I am eager to delve into it. This is an album I didn’t expect to like, as I really didn’t know many of the guest musicians and I expected something quite self-important and pretentious. I thought it might be overtly composed and too chaotic, and it proved me wrong immediately. This album is a lot to take in, yes. It is as complex as you may expect, but not overwhelming. It is supremely balanced with ambience and detailed with melodic guitar parts and passionate rhythms and weird time signatures. It gives you breaks and room to sit in the feelings their trying to convey, before it mesmerizes you with technicality. You can tell it took a ton of mind power to craft this album, because there are so many bits and pieces that almost don’t fit together, but it works. “Who We Lament (featuring Keturah)” reminds me of Devin Townsend’s album Ki that featured Chee Aimee Dorval in the best way possible. It starts atmospheric and then absolutely explodes and the vocals reflect this inner heaviness of self loathing with a bit of a surprise fry vocal. “Tyranny (featuring Pritam Adhikary of Aarlon)” is a huge standout for me and is one of the heavier songs on the album with pounding technical rhythms and chesty voicing reminding me of the band Klone. “Pattern of Rebirth (featuring AJ Channer of Fire From the Gods)” is a great single track that brings a familiar more Metalcore sound, with some nicely melodic spoken word and long sung choruses.
This album seems darker and moodier than previous releases. There’s melancholy and even anger in instrumentals “Watching the Earth Sink” and “Vespers (feat. Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh & VikKe)”. This emotional arc seems to be fitting and reminds me of the heaviness of Russian Circles at times. The drums stand out instrumentally to me and really carry this album to be something special, besides all the unique guest vocalists. Ben Shabrom is a brilliant drummer, but there are parts on this album that exceed even his usual flair and heavy hitting. The addition of Baard Kolstad on “All We Ever Knew and Loved” is a smart decision as he is incomparable and the hardest hitting Prog drummer I have ever seen. Kolstad was possibly an influence throughout the album, because many parts mirror his bombastic crazy rhythms and airy cymbals. Overall, the diverse instrumentation is great and interesting throughout, but I find myself complaining what everyone complains about in Modern Music: It needs more bass. For the most part, Ryan Griffin is inaudible and under utilized. Without bass, the tone of the music is completely lost and always lacks dynamic range. The only song he shines on is the Jazzy-Djent breakdown “The Lesser Evil (feat. Larry Braggs & Sam Gendel)”, and while it is a brilliant Seal and Skinny Puppy crossover, it’s sad that’s the only time we get chunky and crazy bass lines.
This album is a lot and is certainly not accessible to the average listener, but Prog nearly never aims for accessibility, but emotional diction in technicality. Earthside have created something very complex, once again rising to their self proclaimed crazy ambitions. I like this album and a lot of tracks on it. It flows extremely well without getting repetitive or stale. It’s unlike anything I have ever heard, but definitely has familiar aspects the more diverse listener can appreciate it. I don’t know if I’ll ever listen to the album in full again, however. It seems to be one to appreciate a couple times, but doesn’t have anything that sticks with me. It’s a great album technically and has profound meaning, but it lacks a recurring theme or something to keep me engaged.
Lyrically, I found it boring and without distinctive messages to pull from so it stays in your head. It just leaves you once you’re done listening. Maybe, that’s the point. Maybe it’s about enjoying the moments while you have them and then moving on from the past. Either way, it is worth a listen and maybe true Earthside fans will consider it a classic. I don’t necessarily love it, but I understand and appreciate what they were trying to do with “Let the Truth Speak”. I like it, but I expect way more content with the next release and an arcing theme that resonates longer than a play through.
Spiritbox are one of the most talked about bands of the 2020s with breakout hit “Holy Roller” dominating the charts and looping on the radio into a dizzily huge successful album “Eternal Blue”. Love them or hate them, this band is a force of nature in Progressive Metalcore. Guitarist/Composer/Produce Mike Stringer stands out in a crowd of copy/paste guitarists of the genre. To say he is brilliant would be a vast understatement. His counterpart and huge ranged powerhouse, Courtney LaPlante has also been a unique diamond in the rough of radio saturated Metalcore. She is one of my most favorite vocalists, and also the most surprising dichotomous voices. Her ability to switch voicings is rare, because you’re hard pressed to find anyone smoother and more emotive. Spiritbox is a brutal barreling train derailment of sound with a massive wall of sound, Mike occasionally maxing out the stored memory in Pro Tools. If you came to Spiritbox with Eternal Blue, you know the complexity and ginormous layers they can produce. But, don’t expect The Fear of Fear to be a follow-up to Eternal Blue… This band is set on busting expectations, genres, and complacency.
The Fear of Fear is a lyrical journey through battles with mental health, isolation, and dissociation. It is not like Eternal Blue as it doesn’t flow or necessarily fit together. There is no two tracks that sound alike, but it is reminiscent of very early Spiritbox demos and Singles. There are melodic tones that seem so familiar and imperative to the identity of Spiritbox, but very new and fresh. If you’re not familiar with pre-Eternal Blue singles, this may be a complete surprise to you. “Cellar Door” may be their heaviest track yet, an absolute sonic assault on the senses that hits you wave after wave. Courtney’s range on this is unbelievably low and sure to impress the most brutal of Death Metal fans. “Jaded” is a rhythmic complex track with catchy vocal and bass lines with a very Metalcore feel to it. It is so nice to hear bass in Progressive Metalcore again. “Too Close/ Too Late” is extremely atmospheric and haunting with basic structure and even pacing, a breath of fresh air after two pummeling tracks. “Angel Eyes” is such an interesting track that reminds me of the intensity of “The Beauty of Suffering” from the self titled. “Ultraviolet” is a electronic undertones, groovy drum back beats, and high pitched sweet vocals, and it is unlike anything the band has done before. “The Void” is one of my favorite tracks of the year with an extremely catchy chorus and difficult long held notes. They really used the whole band’s collective range on these six tracks and I feel like they challenged themselves as well as the fans’ ideas of the band.
The Fear of Fear is as if they went back to the beginning of the band, took what they liked from the Singles and Self Titled and remixed them fit their current mental state and then threw in new out-of-the-box ideas to reinvent themselves. It’s a pretty large contrast from Eternal Blue, which I like that they didn’t just recycle those feelings and sounds. I like the throwback to the original haunting sounds we got in the Self-Titled. People who didn’t like Eternal Blue but like Spiritbox are going to love this record. I love most of the tracks and it’ll definitely take more listens to take it all in. I think a couple tracks might be a little weak on their own and also don’t fit together, but there are standouts that you could repeat for days on end. The band certainly didn’t lose the addictive quality to their sound and have really rooted themselves in the aspects you expect; Atmosphere, layers, and airy vocals on top of brutality. Overall, it’s a great release and I think a very smart progression for them to draw in so many kinds of fans. I wish it was as long as Eternal Blue, so I had something to really sink in to. It feels like another Singles Collection rather than an album, but it definitely won’t get stale after many listens due to the variety of styles and familiar sounds. Spiritbox continue to surprise, amaze, and captivate me with every release, and this might be their most advantageous release yet.
This year has already brought us so great much music, I can hardly keep up with it all.. Below is most of the awesome releases that dropped for new music Friday! Have a merry metal weekend!
Danny is a powerhouse with a pretty impressive range used widely over Voyager’s 20+ year career. He uses an eclectic throwback sound to the New Wave days in the 1980’s and layers in Power Metal influences and occasional grunts. It’s an incredibly complex vocal that I don’t think anyone else could replicate. You hear him sing one note and you know it’s him immediately. No matter what style Danny may emulate, Voyager is an absolute party to listen to and a truly happy Metal band with sick riffs and catchy vocals.
Devin Townsend
My favorite singer of all time and one of the most technical on this list. Devin has a four octave range that he utilizes in over twenty styles of music and 25 years of creating. He is a vocal shapeshifter, switching from harmonic screams to tenor vocals in the smoothest transition. It is astounding to watch what he can do with his voice as he goes to the absolute limit in every performance, “Screaming until he tastes blood” doesn’t get any more brutal than that. I will definitely cover this astonishingly beautiful artist throughout my entire career as a Metal writer. He is one of the greatest singers, forget genres, forget tastes and subjectivity, he is supremely talented.
Phil Romeo- Countless Skies
One of the most surprising voices on this list, Phil Romeo is an operatic tenor Power singer and bassist in British Melodeth band Countless Skies. The first time I heard Phil sing was on the track Zephyr, and not knowing anything about this band, I thought it was a Devin Townsend feature. I was astounded to find out that it wasn’t Devin and that it was this unknown bassist laying down one of the most passionate vocal lines I have ever heard.
Tom Englund- Evergrey
I know, Evergrey is a well known Power Metal band with nearly 30 years of experience under their belt, but I have to say that Tom is a hugely underrated vocalist. I don’t see him come up on any vocalist list and I think he’s overlooked. He has such a unique and recognizable smooth tone. It’s almost a bluesy style, but with insane power. Nobody sounds like Tom.
Joseph Michael-Witherfall
I only discovered this incredible Doomy Progressive Metal band last fall and I was utterly bombed by Joseph’s voice. His delivery of vocals in the cover of Foreplay/Long Time by the great Boston is absolutely spectacular and not what I expected in the slightest. Witherfall is one of the most musically talented bands out there today, and Joseph is the frontrunner of the dynamics.
Dan Cleary- Striker
Striker (not to be confused with 80’s Stryper) is a Epic Power Metal band from Alberta, Canada that is known for playing throwback traditional style Metal. They are a nostalgic cheesy Metal band part of a collective touring group NWONMB, that features Lords of The Trident, Unleash the Archers, Seven Kingdoms, and more. Dan has immense power and range that definitely reminds me of Dokken, Queensrhyche, and Whitesnake. It’s just good clean Metal with soaring vocals.
Daniel Helman- Lost Horizon
One of the more unknown names on this list, Dan Helman led the great Lost Horizons from Sweden and created a sound that would go on to influence some of the newest and most powerful singers today. I hadn’t heard of him until Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers mentioned LH as an influence. The song below is an absolute vocal masterpiece of shocking proportion.
Joacim Cans- Hammerfall
I can’t talk about male singers without talking about Joacim Cans. I don’t see this fantastic melodious Power singer on any list, and it’s an absolute crime. He is one of the best vocalists I have ever seen live. His control, consistency, and power belts are unreal. Hammerfall has been around for three decades and hasn’t received nearly enough credit.
Damian Wilson- Threshold, Ayreon, and more.
Damian is one of those singers nobody talks about, and yet has one of the most distinctive voices of all time. I was introduced to Damian Wilson on Arjen Lucassen’s Star One and was blown away by his tone. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard. He goes from singing soft ballad vocals to high powerful belting. No matter what he’s singing, his vocals are angelic and crystal clear.
Mike Mills- Toehider, Ayreon
Possibly possessing one of the biggest ranges on the list, Mike Mills has been Arjen Lucassen’s go-to singer for fifteen years. The Australian Singer, Guitarist, and Songwriter does vocal gymnastics in any song he’s ever done. He pushes the limit of male vocals, reminiscent of the great Freddie Mercury with his high Soprano operatic vocals and having easily a four octave range. I have honestly never heard another singer like Mike. The song below is just five percent of what this guy can do. I highly recommend checking out his entire discography.
Patrik Selleby- Bloodbound
There’s quite a lot of Power Metal vocalists on this list, not on purpose but by sheer will of talent. The subgenre of Metal just has a knack for using the best, most versatile vocalists. Patrik Selleby has that belting higher range vocal that just captivates crowds. He has so many different techniques he uses. He can do soffty tenor vocals, dipping into baritone. He can scream and wail with precise vibrato reminiscent of 80’s Heavy Metal. He can also use fry vocals to accentuate vowels. I absolutely love his style and Bloodbound’s overall sound.
Isahn- Emperor
Isahn has one of the most piercing and soul haunting screams I’ve ever heard, but his clean vocals are what truly astonished me. I hadn’t heard him sing until the release of the EP “Pharaohs” and I have craved his voice ever since. If you could ever describe a man’s voice as sultry, it would be Isahn’s.
Einar Solberg- Leprous
Out of all the singers on this list, Einar possibly has the most shocking and distinctive voice on the list. This man’s voice is breathtakingly beautiful. I don’t describe male vocals as “beautiful”, but it’s the word that comes to mind. It is light, airy, and angelic upon every note he sings. His range is just massive, reaching into the rafters with soprano operatic and epic falsetto that bring chills and tears alike. It is impossible not to listen to Leprous and not get emotional. Nobody sounds like Einar. He is absolutely sensational. He’s just a brilliant vocalist and songwriter. The song below says more than I can ever say.
Mathias Blad- Falconer
Falconer is a legendary Medieval Folk Power Metal band with quite the cult following. The band tried to hang it up in 2016, but due to a high demand, they keep returning for exclusive performances and one final album. They officially disbanded in 2020 sadly, but Mathias’ legacy lives on.
Kobi Farhi- Orphaned Land
I have always been enchanted by Middle Eastern vocals since Sting’s “Desert Rose”. It’s never been a style I thought “oh, that would work in Metal”, but it absolutely does. Kobi Farhi of the Israeli Heavy Metal band proves the unique technique fits the Western Heavy Metal instrumentation. This singing style, Mizahi or monotonic, requires a lot of control and technique to stay in pitch. His ability to switch into this and keep it perfectly within the music is spectacular. He is truly one of the most talented male singers out there.
Spencer Sotelo- Periphery
I could write an entire article about this vocalist and his range. I didn’t expect to become obsessed with his voice as it is a lot higher than I am usually into. Spencer has insane control over his instrument, able to switch from screams to falsetto to a softer vocal. He also has a nu-metal style fry rap in “Marigold” which is just sublimely executed. He’s effortless in his delivery, as with most singers on this list. His range also frequently rises to harmonics, which is one of the highest sectors in music. He is an unbelievably skilled vocalist and truly doesn’t get enough credit.
Jeff Scott Soto- Sons of Apollo, Yngwie, Trans Siberian Orchestra.
I only see this guy talked about in Prog channels and not more globally honored for some reason. Soto has a unique style that blends 90’s Hard Rock, Power Metal, and Soul aspects into one powerhouse vocal. Sons of Apollo is an American supergroup of some of the most talented musicians of all time. Soto fits this bill and the resounding emotive Heavy Metal style. He brings the melody so smoothly on top of very rhythmic music, which is hard to do. He has a massive range from Baritone to high screams, and I don’t think there’s a limit to it.
Terje Haroy- Pyramaze
Now, I know 99% of Metal listeners have never heard of Terje, making him one of the most unknown on the list, but he is a MUST hear vocalist. The power, the emotion, the clarity, and the grit of this singer is monolithic. He produces so much sound from just one held note. I have no idea how he pushes it to the limit while staying in perfect pitch. His vocals range from deep drones, to power belting, screams, and sounds I cannot even begin to describe. Pyramaze has been around for two decades and has been led by some amazing vocalists, but this guy is on a whole other level. His vocal energy could probably power the entirety of North America. The song below is one of the best vocal performances I have ever heard in my twenty two years of listening to Metal.
Markus Vanhala- Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum
A backing vocalist normally known for his songwriting and guitar playing, doesn’t get much credit as a vocalist. But when Markus’s clean vocals come in, it sets the whole tone for any track. You know it’s going to be a deeply emotional track when Markus sings. His tonal quality and breath control is astounding to me. He can hold notes for two measures without any vibrato or notational deviation. I had to include him because he is just so distinctive and such an underrated musician. After hearing him sing live in person twice, I have been in love with his clean vocals ever since. He could honestly front a band all on his own instead of being in the background.
Yannis Papadopoulos- Beast in Black
One of the craziest voices I’ve ever heard (besides Mark Slaughter) Yannis has what is best described as a Soprano Male Vocal. He is only one of the only males I’ve mistaken as a female, and that definitely makes an interesting reaction. After hearing this guy do operatic soprano, fry vocals, and crazy high screams, I never thought I’d hear him use a more beautiful and emotive vocal. Once you hear Floor Jansen sing “Ghost Love Score”, you may say it is the only version, but I highly recommend Yannis’ beautiful cover of the Power Ballad. He has immense range and one of the highest technical abilities I have ever heard. I think he’s one of those singers that could sing just about anything. So, I really want a covers album from this incredible Norwegian Power Metal band.
Honorable Mentions
JB- Grand Magus
Dino Jelusick- Trans Siberian Orchestra/Whitesnake
PelleK
Andrew Kingsley- Unleash the Archers, Sleeper Ship
Fang VonWrathenstein- Lords of the Trident
Todd La Torre- Queensryche
Tommy Giles- Between the Buried and Me
Rou Reynolds- Enter Shikari
Who did I miss this time? Who are your favorite male vocalists?
Disclaimer: This article is written based on my opinions. It is not meant to be taken as a factual research paper.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
“This list is purely about lesser known Melodeath bands. Obviously, these bands are not necessarily an introduction to the genre. If you want to get into the genre check out the heavy hitters such as Arch Enemy, In Flames, Dark Tranquility, Before the Dawn, Insomnium, Swallow The Sun, Children of Bodom, Wintersun, Ensiferum, Amorphis, and At The Gates.
If I missed any essentials, comment below or tweet me at @ebombmetal on Twitter.”
In Mourning
In Mourning is yet another Melodeath offering from Sweden. But, comparing them to the likes of Dark Tranquility, In Flames, and At the Gates would be criminal. The small town Swedish “sad bois” are not your typical flavor of Melodeath. Of my two decades as a Metal fan, I have never heard such a diverse band. Their layers are endlessly entangled with Doom, Black Sabbath, Power Metal, and Amorphis-like brutality. To say this band is stunning, is a vast understatement. From the saga based lyrics, to the classic riffs, to the depressive overtones of three different growlers, this band had me absolutely mesmerized. Their Weight of the Oceans record is a timeless Melodeath gem that deserves far more press than it has received over the decade. The opening track “Colossus” has the haunting beauty that I look for in Melodic Death Metal. The atmospheric aspect transcends you to the ancient oceans as you await a giant sea creature to swallow the earth.
In Mourning has the most interesting song structure, making every track unpredictable and interesting. Verses last half of songs, preceding three staggeringly good guitar solos, and harmonized brutal growls over unique driving leads.Some songs have so many changes it is hard for me to keep up with at times, but it truly makes the music more interesting. It’s surprising, because you never know what influence the band will throw in the ring next. This band is a permanent addition to my collection and I will long await a North American tour.
Essential Tracks: Colossus, Thornwalker, Black Storm
From the brain of Melodeath legend Markus Vanhala of Insomnium, comes a lighter hearted brother of Insomnium. Omnium Gatherum is Speed meets Melodeath with immensely beautiful atmospheric synths and meanings that make grown men cry in the pit. Omnium is an enigma of brutal growls from Jukka Peikonen and soft lead melodies from Markus with an occasional melancholic clean vocal. Omnium has a “battle ready” feel to it. I find them to be one of the most uplifting Melodeath bands. It’s a great diversion from the “my wife tragically died and came back to throw me in a well” feeling you get from Amorphis and Insomnium.
Seeing this band live twice, I can say they truly play to astound. They put one hundred percent of their passion and practice into each track and play with immense speed. It is shocking to watch the dueling guitars play perfectly together at neck break pace. Their drummer, albeit a different drummer every time I’ve seen them, is a machine of a metronome that keeps everything really tight. Jukka’s guttural growls for a whole set defy and blow me away. His vocal stamina is some of the highest for the difficulty of technique he displays. I also really enjoy the group cleans, as it gives an 80’s arena vibe. This band is fantastic on record but also one of the best live. I cannot recommend their catalog enough, specifically from Stuck Here on Snakes Way (2007) and on.
Essential Tracks: The Unknowing, Fortitude, New World Shadows
For something fresh and completely different in Melodeath, I recommend UK newcomers Countless Skies. If you dig the Progressive aspects of Amorphis and also Devin Townsend, this band is a brilliant bright mix of both. Not to be confused with Pop Atmospheric duo, Silent Skies, these guys are all heavy goodness. If you like bands with bassists that sing, this band is definitely for you. Phil Romeo has one of the greatest voices I have ever heard, effortlessly laying tenor operatic on top of Melodeath speed and epic ballads beyond anything I could have imagined. This band has music that moves; it goes from gloom and doom to heavenly optimistic and heartbreaking. This is a band that deserves an entire symphony behind it (maybe a show at the famous Plovdiv Amphitheater). The music composition is beautiful and flawlessly flowing from orchestration to synth to perfect blast beats. Ross King wails on guitar while executing perfectly dictioned gutturals and soaring screams. Every song builds into something heavier or something immensely melodic and breathtaking.
I may catch some slack from genre sticklers on this one, but I have to include Infected Rain on this list. The Moldovian Nu-Metal band displays a huge range of influences, I have trouble believing they’re among the likes of Korn and Slipknot. This heavy groove based band has a plethora of interesting sounds and progressive nuances. I wouldn’t compare them with any other band on the planet. Lena Scissorhands is one of the most unique vocalists of the past two decades. Her range from cleans to gutturals to harmonic screams. Her fluidity amazes me on every track. Vidick, the sole writer and mastermind, lays down addictive rhythm guitars ranging from Djent to Pantera. It grooves better than anything I’ve heard in twenty years. They’ve been around since 2008, but haven’t hit big time in the USA yet. I could see this band exploding very soon with the tours they’ve been on lately with Butcher Babies and Stitched Up Heart. This band deserves much more credit for quality and innovative Groove Melodeath. Part of me wishes Lena was the new addition to vocaless Fear Factory, but I would hate to see Infected Rain lose her. That’s how immensely good they are. She can scream, guttural growl, sing melodically, rap, and go into operatics occasionally. This band is just staggeringly good.
This doomy brutal Melodeath band from 1998 has been vastly underrated and lost under the radar. I didn’t hear of Kalmah until 2013, after discovering Insomnium live supporting Epica in 2012. Kalmah is a bit slower, more under-stated in its take on Melodeath. It’s not as in your face, but the quality is formidable. Their doomy death metal layered with catchy lead guitars and insane piano melodies sets them apart in the genre. They cover a huge range of emotions and themes throughout every album, but remain solid. Older Kalmah is purer Death Metal with Thrash guitars, atmospheric synth, and chaotic heart pounding blast beats. There’s truly something for every Death Metal fan within the Kalmah catalog. They’re a much heavier version Children of Bodom with Doom layers intertwined throughout. They also show some love for Power Metal with dueling guitar melodies. They’re an unexpected gem, but not surprising being from the most Death Metal country in the world, Finland.
Essential Tracks: For The Revolution, Seventh Swamphony, Blood Rain Cold
If you’re anything like me as a metal head, you’re constantly looking for underground epic bands to discover. I came across Deadtide on Bandcamp in a very saturated list of Death Metal bands. These guys stood out to me, because they offer a more approachable sound to Melodeath. They have the most clean vocals I’ve heard in the genre and some interesting Progressive Metalcore layers. I kno;w I am using a lot of genre jargon to describe sounds, but comparing them to anyone specific is not helpful. Every song i’;ve heard is totally different from the next with Deadtide. They have flavors of In Flames, Dark Tranquility, and Metalcore bands like Born of Osiris and All That Remains. The Ephemeral EP is a stunning sampler of what Deadtide has to offer. Check it out below. We don’t get a lot of quality Melodeath in the USA, so it was a wonderful surprise to discover these guys.
Essential Tracks; The Rabbit Hole, Alteration, Begin the Dream
UK Progressive Death Metal Band, Sylosis, have risen to great success in recent years with their unique and dark vibes in blisteringly heavy music. Since 2007 the band has pounded out interesting and intense albums like Conclusion of an Age, Edge of the Earth, and the popular Monolith. They have also released two EPs and an independently released seven track live album. The band has a certain artistry and ever changing sound that appeals to the complicated Metal listeners. They combine Prog and Death Metal with grinding Thrash riffs and vocals, creating a much heavier and layered version of Trivium. It is an acquired taste, but well deserving of special recognition. I hadn’t heard Sylosis until the brand new album “Dormant Heart” dropped this year. Immediately upon listening to Mercy, I decided this album deserved a review.
“Dormant Heart” is a mix of hardcore, Progressive, and Industrial sound, making for an unpatterned listing experience with many layers. Upon listening, you can hear the mastery and work that was put into the composition of this album. The layers of guitars and the pounding of the drums is much less drowning and repetitive than I expected. It is a lot more refined, making it interesting and great music to listen to during road trips. The vocals range from deep grunting to powerful mid ranged screams, adding a much needed diversity to separate this from typical “Thrash Metal”. Don’t be fooled, you can still hear those influences in tracks like To Build a Bomb, Overthrown, and Victims and Pawns. The interesting Progressive sounds come from the guitars and occasional ambient fills, creating a whole new vibe with each track. Mercy and the title track really stand out on “Dormant Heart”, because they’re really different from what the other bands in Sylosis’ wheelhouse put out. The best track of the album however is the last. Quiescent is such a dark and proggy song, it made me wonder why the album didn’t contain more brilliance like it. If the whole album illustrated this much emotion and passion, it’d get much higher ratings. The creativity is well represented and much appreciated in Death Metal.
As a fan of Death Metal, I strive to hear an album that is unique and something completely different from the other recent albums in the genre. Death Metal can be convoluted and you’re typical band is a dime a dozen, but Sylosis strive to be a different band with different sound. Yes the vocals are your typical growls and screams, in and out of proper annunciation, but it is broken up by dynamic riffs and interesting time signatures. I notice these attributes the most on “Dormant Heart” than other Sylosis albums. The growth in this album is quite large, but I am left with desiring more after such a prominent track, which could be done on purpose to pull the listener in. Whatever the target was for “Dormant Heart” Sylosis did a commendable job at succeeded.
Here’s a list of bands I’ve recently come acrossed in my research of metal around the world. Not all of these bands are new, but maybe you haven’t heard of them yet. If you’re looking for new metal to listen to, this list is for you. If you’re absolutely fed up with generic rock and the older bands constantly resurfacing, this is a more diverse group of really great bands to listen to. Finding the perfect band for an individual is nearly impossible, but the search through the epicly diverse genre of Metal can be an eye opener. This list could help you find your next perfect band.
While She Sleeps
England has been breeding quality metal for almost a decade now. Bands like Sylosis and Tesseract are great examples of what British Metal has to offer. While She Sleeps is another prime example of British Metal’s diversity and unique sound. The band is a Melodic Hardcore Metal band famous for chanting vocals and melodic guitar riffs. I haven’t heard anything quite like them yet and enjoyed their latest track New World Torture. Check them out below.
Swedish band Mad Architect is surprisingly unique and brilliant, featuring Magnus Daun, Sven Lindsten, and Snowy Shaw (Sabaton, Dimmu Borgir, Therion), and Jorgen Oscarsson. Their music is a mix between Power Metal and Black Metal, with dark and Gothic influences. It’s very interesting Metal and will appeal to someone with a diverse set of tastes. The vocals range from growls reminiscent of Dimmu Borgir and clean power vocals similar to Russell Allen’s style.
If you just can’t get enough of Melodic Death Metal and are looking for a new band of great quality, Barren Earth could be a great addition to your list. The band specializes in their own take on a classic genre, adding a Progressive vibe to the music much like Mastodon and Opeth have achieved. The music is technical, fast, dark, and enchanting with many layers. This band makes good use of clean vocals as a contract to the guttural growls. This band is not for the average Metal fan, because of the intensity of the growls, but they are absolutely amazing at what they do. I expect nothing less than powerful Death Metal from Finland.
A new wave of metal bands from Australia has recently submerged, introducing a new style of metal. A Breach of Silence is one of the best Metal bands I’ve recently discovered. They have this blend of typical screaming with powerful vocals. I was honestly expecting your typical Metalcore band, but instead heard something much more unique. The vocal range of the bassist is borderlining on the range of Miljenko from Steelheart. I am vastly impressed by A Breach of Silence and their single There Will Be Blood.
Swedish metal is just spectacular, but Wolverine has to be one of my favorite bands from the region. The band is a wonderful Progressive Metal band, with sounds like Sonata Arctica and Ayreon. This band utilizes two different vocalists very well, mixing clean vocals and growls with a Doom Metal feel to the instruments. It’s just a really interesting and well executed unique style. They put out solid and diverse albums. I highly suggest them if you’re into Prog Metal.
ALKALOID is an Extreme Progressive Metal band aiming to capitalize on differences of musical influences from each member. The band premiered a new song and an audio album teaser for “The Malkuth Grimoire”. It is the band’s debut album that is being crowd funded on Indiegogo. The band is a mix of Death Metal, Progressive sounds inspired by Rush, and Sludge metal. The music has a slow and dark delivery, with immense technicality in the instrumentation. Check out their lineup and brand new song below on sound cloud.
Metal Valkyrie 