Ov Sulfur are a blackened deathcore band from the US and this is their debut album.
The Burden ov Faith is a brutal slab of deathcore that takes a blackened and symphonic approach to its blasphemous heaviness. Ov Sulfur spend 44 minutes dealing out punishment of a form that’s surprisingly rich in delivery.
Due to the genre I was expecting the singer to have a formidable set of growls and screams, but I wasn’t also expecting him to have a very capable clean singing voice. He does, and he uses it very well.
Although undeniably deathcore, The Burden ov Faith offers a more multifaceted listen than many of its ostensible peers. Metalcore influences can also be heard, for example, and these are used well to bolster the music’s emotional appeal. However, despite the fact that Ov Sulfur clearly have a deathcore heart, their sound has been expanded to include elements from a variety of extreme metal styles. Indeed, a range of the music’s compositional influences owe more to various styles of death and black metal then they do to any of the -core ones, which only helps the band stand out from their peers. This is even true of some of the production and recording choices.
The songs are well-written and focused on maximum heaviness while still maintaining hooks, memorability, and dynamics. The death metal part of deathcore is definitely not neglected, which is great to hear, and there are actual riffs on this album, as well as many screaming solos. I also really like the use of the infernal melodies that the band deploy at key points. The symphonic aspects of the band’s sound are well-delivered, but not overpowering or omnipresent. Additionally, the well-used clean vocals add another weapon to the band’s considerable arsenal. A variety of guest vocalists also appear, (including the wonderful singer of Light the Torch), which enhances the record further.
The Burden ov Faith is a well-rounded record that is definitely of the deathcore style and has plenty of massive breakdowns, but that also boasts extreme metal muscle that many bands of this sort lack. As such, this is not only for lovers of bands such as A Wake in Providence, Lorna Shore, Carnifex, Worm Shepherd, Mental Cruelty, Bonecarver, etc. but also could easily appeal to fans of acts like Septicflesh, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and the like.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 