Replacire – The Center That Cannot Hold (Review)

This is the third album by US technical death metal band Replacire.

It’s been a long seven years since 2017’s Do Not Deviate, but now Replacire are back, and they’re on fire. Delivering 44 minutes of death metal that’s distinctly not your standard fare, The Center That Cannot Hold is not a record for the uninitiated.

Prepare yourself for a tech death onslaught, albeit of a lesser heard form than you might used to given that tag. With a new lineup, (which includes the singer of Black Crown Initiate/The Faceless), Replacire showcase their expertise with deadly ability. Yep, those guitars are getting shredded on this one. The bass is surgical, and the drums driven home with pinpoint accuracy. The new singer, (who has actually been in the band for many years now), doesn’t let the side down, and his vocals are ferocious. It’s an impressive performance.

It’s a dizzying, bone breaking, adrenaline-soaked experience. But, importantly, despite the skill on display, it’s not the only asset that Replacire have to call upon. The songwriting puts the band’s technical skills in the right context, and the songs benefit from this approach. Don’t get the wrong impression though – this is atypical death metal that’s murderously heavy and savagely off kilter, yet once you grow accustomed to its jagged pace and blunt angles, a range of hooks, catchy rhythms, infectious vocal patterns, and good ideas gradually reveal themselves. At other times it’s though, it’s just all about the controlled chaos.

The music is brutal and unforgiving. It’s not without its texture, intricacy, or nuance, but Replacire are not the sort of tech death band that hide behind lightweight resplendence or ethereal melody. No, The Center That Cannot Hold is merciless and crushing. This is tech death via the impersonal beating of Meshuggah at their harshest, or Norma Jean’s utterly punishing classic Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, or maybe The Dillinger Escape Plan’s legendary first album Calculating Infinity. It’s the sort of album I haven’t heard for years, one that’s both unconventional and well-crafted, making for music that’s impenetrable, yet addictive nonetheless.

Intense, brutal, and devastating. This is how to play technical death metal with an emphasis on sheer extremity. And yet, the songs remain with you after you get used to their withering attack. Replacire clearly know what they’re doing, and this is a passionate assault on the senses that will make you eager for more.

If you’re a seasoned fan of shapeshifting heaviness, then this is an essential listen.