This is the debut album from US metal band Memorrhage.
Now here’s an album I couldn’t miss out on. Brought to us by a member of Cara Neir, Memorrhage is a tribute to the 90s metal scene, specifically nu-metal and the related styles around this, including hardcore, metalcore, and industrial. Yep, I had to hear this.
So what does Memorrhage sound like? A shockingly authentic love letter to a long gone time, pretty much, yet one that also has a timeless quality to it of sorts. The artist behind Memorrhage has a clear love for the 90s, and he does it justice across these 38 minutes with a well-executed vision. The music is passionate and well-written, taking influence from many beloved bands and styles, while also being informed by what has happened since. This viewpoint of being immersed while also removed allows for the perspective and wisdom of age and experience, which basically means that this is a well-crafted album of kick-ass tunes.
Memorrhage is a harsh and aggressive album that definitely leans into the heavier and rougher side of the 90s. Imagine a mix of predominantly the more hostile parts of bands like Slipknot, Mudvayne, Korn, Static-X, Chimaira, Coal Chamber, Spineshank, Downthesun, etc., and you’ll have a good idea of where this release is coming from. Throw in a few elements of bands such as Pitchshifter, Godflesh, and just a touch of early Converge too and Memorrhage is a tasty treat indeed.
The music is heavy and infectious. Very moreish, packed with hooks and catchy heaviness, the songs are easy to like if you’re familiar with the 90s. To be honest, even if you’re not, it doesn’t matter, as taken from a completely contemporary viewpoint, there’s a lot here to like still. This isn’t pure nostalgia after all, rather it’s a modern slab of heaviness shaped by the past, instead of the present. In this way, another description of Memorrhage could be groove-heavy industrial-edged mathcore – think a mix of bands such as Frontierer, Borders, Vein.fm, and The Last Ten Seconds of Life, as examples.
However you choose to approach this release, it’s ultimately a crushingly good collection of heavy, aggressive songs. Whether you burden it with the weight of history or just listen with a blank slate, the artist behind Memorrhage has created music that should have no problem finding a home in many a modern metal fan’s collection, regardless of what decade your idea of what modern metal is comes from.
Highly recommended for fans of heavy music.
Wonderbox Metal 