Aviana – Corporation (Review)

This is the third album from Aviana, a metalcore band from Sweden.

I really enjoyed 2019’s Epicenter, so was pleased to see Aviana return with some new material. Well, they’re back with 36 minutes of the stuff, along with a new lineup that sees only the singer returning from Epicenter, (he seems to be the main band member, as far as I can tell, with the other members remaining anonymous).

Aviana play a form of metallic hardcore that’s dark and aggressive. Corporation treats us to a compelling mix of older and newer metal influences, all smashed together with extreme force to produce a collection of tracks that showcases the refreshed Aviana’s capabilities very well. These new songs are brutal and harsh, but have an emotive side that’s as effective as you would want from a metalcore act.

One of the things I liked about Epicenter was that the music was on the heavier side of the spectrum, and if anything Corporation takes this even further, venturing into deathcore territories. Djent and electronic elements pepper the music, giving it both techno bite and ambient atmosphere. The nu-metal dynamics of the band’s second album remain intact, and there are metalcore breakdowns aplenty to get absolutely flattened by.

The singer’s voice, already good, has reached new heights of both aggression and passion. His growls, shouts, and screams are shockingly good, and he can actually sing too. Top work!

Despite the heaviness of the material it never comes at the expense of a good song. The songwriting balances crushing intensity with the more melodic and cleanly sung aspects, which are a bit more prominent on Corporation. However, I still like that they don’t appear on every song, as otherwise the music would risk becoming a bit too formulaic. Corporation offers a nicely varied listen, delivering a range of different experiences across its relatively brief running time. As I said, Aviana strike the right balance, and for the most part this is monstrously heavy music.

If ever there was an album for a gym play list, this is it.

I was looking forward to this album and Corporation is even better than I had hoped it would be. If you’re a fan of the style, then this is a pretty damn great listen.