Kassogtha – rEvolve (Review)

This is the debut album from Kassogtha, a death metal band from Switzerland.

rEvolve contains 62 minutes of modern death metal that’s shot through with progressive influences, melodic death metal streaks, and metalcore muscle. It is a engaging mix of modern metallic styles, resulting in an album that ranges from harsh brutality to soaring choruses, atmospheric heaviness, and emotive richness.

Very roughly speaking, if you throw together a bunch of the modern metal  influences from the styles mentioned above, along with elements of bands like Lacuna Coil, Gojira, Arch Enemy, and Decapitated, you’ll have a starting point for Kassogtha’s sound, although that probably doesn’t indicate just how damn good this is.

rEvolve is a progressive/melodic death metal feast for those weaned on the more contemporary metal styles, and despite its long length it showcases a band that have a clear vision for their music. Kassogtha certainly have the technical skill to pull the material off, but also the passion to see it executed well.

The well-written songs combine sharp and precise death metal with melodic colour and modern metal’s ear for a good hook. There’s a lot of juicy content on display here, but the band combine their influences well. The songs may be lengthy, but that because Kassogtha have a lot of ground to cover.

The songs mix blasting aggression with emotive melodies and ferocious riffs. There are also some storming solos. There is heaviness aplenty on this album, whether that’s via blistering fast-paced aggression or huge chunky riffs. However, there is also plenty of emotive weight too though, which is less commonly found in something that’s essentially based on a death metal template. This adds a side to the band that plays with atmosphere, dynamics, and feeling, to great effect. Yep, it seems that Kassogtha really know what they’re doing.

The singer has a very strong voice, and I like the intensity she brings to the music with her visceral screams. She can also really sing too, and her clean vocals enhance the music when they appear. She gives a compelling performance throughout, and it’s a testament to the rest of the band’s skills that they’re not completely overshadowed by her.

Well, Kassogtha have impressed. This is a band with a lot of talent, and I can easily imagine them being snatched up by one of the larger extreme metal labels. If you have a taste for modern heaviness, then rEvolve should absolutely not be missed.

Essential listening.