✦✦✧✧ It’s… fine. Great vocals and a gorgeous mix, but it’s odd to have an anthemic power metal feel like it’s missing emotionality. This is a modest improvement, but still feels like a band actively trying to find their winning formula. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ More settled than the 2020 predecessor City Burials, this album is surefooted, dynamic, and above all else, hauntingly emotive. So the band is less and less progressive with each album. And sure, it sounds like they’ve taken another step closer toward being Leprous (but that’s not much of a tragedy). See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ A little more noisy than usual for Periphery, which is a welcome bit of spice. As usual, they’re at their best when they let themselves off their own chains and go djenty-heavy. Alas, the shredding material here is countered by synthwave, atmospheric frippery, or stuff I imagine is intended to be radio-friendly. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ A dense techdeath masterclass, somewhere between Revocation and Gorguts. The musicianship on display is faultless, and the songwriting is surprisingly catchy and memorable. Did I mention that it’s also heavy? It’ll give you a good neck workout, headbangers. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ These Floridian death metal veterans sometimes deliver the goods exactly as I want them (ie, vigorous yet classic death). Sometimes they take one riff and drive it into the ground. Sometimes they just confuse me. I’m jut glad they’re still at it! See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ I miss The Dillinger Escape Plan too, but c’mon. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ This is one of those relatively rare projects that features Mike Patton but isn’t entirely an exercise in unlistenable self-indulgence. And actually, the real star of the show here is guitarist Mike Crain, who is at least as focused on texture and noise than hardcore riffing. All for the good; even Dave Lombardo is less ostentatious, in service of the music. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ Experimental even by The Knot’s standards, this album aims to see how far the band can push their envelope and their famously rabid fanbase. To that end, while it’s likely 10 minutes too long, there’s plenty of ear candy throughout the album. (Spoiler: there’s a track midway through the album that reminds me of Tool inexplicably.) See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ This album showcases Alissa White-Gluz’s vocal virtuosity in a way that makes me forget once and for all that she wasn’t the band’s first vocalist. Hers is clearly the standout performance here… impressive, considering that the rest of the band also turn in some world-class performances. The songwriting is a smorgasbord of every way a band can be faithful to the European melodeath banner. See the rest here
✦✧✧✧ Moody, atmospheric, but ultimately not very compelling instrumental guitar rock. I can’t even make a wah-pedal joke about it until 12 minutes in! Maybe James and Lars let Kirk do this, on the condition that it didn’t challenge Metallihegemony? See the rest here
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