Allegaeon – The Ossuary Lens (Review)

This is the seventh album from US death metallers Allegaeon.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the Allegaeon albums I’ve heard, (2016’s Proponent for Sentience, 2019’s Apoptosis, and 2022’s Damnum), and each has been better than the last. Now Allegaeon are back with the 46-minute The Ossuary Lens, (their shortest album so far), and have changed singer, with their their original vocalist returning to the fold. Let’s see what they have to offer us this time around.

The new (old) vocalist brings a somewhat harsher voice (back) to Allegaeon. The various grunts, growls, screams, and roars are all well performed, (some from backing vocals too), and his clean singing, when deployed, is powerful and clear.

This is Allegaeon’s shortest album so far, with shorter song lengths on average. The generally harsher vocal assault overall is reflected in the overall music too. These new songs double down on the death metal side of the band’s sound, while also increasing the melody. For the most part, Allegaeon are leaner, meaner, and more focused on aggressive heaviness. There are less progressive aspects, but you will still find progressive parts in the songs, along with atmospheric elements, and there is still nuance and detail to be had. This is especially true for the second half of the album, where some of the song lengths creep up once more and the songwriting becomes more adventurous. Overall though, The Ossuary Lens has a more energetic, brutal, and straightforward direction, while still carrying Allegaeon’s natural flair.

A balancing act of heaviness, melody, and technicality, The Ossuary Lens is a strong record. It’s full of stellar riffs too. This is a hungrier, more brutal version of Allegaeon, while still benefiting from some of the tools they’ve developed over the years. The end result is a record that is both satisfying and enjoyable. Allegaeon have created an exemplar of modern technical death metal, with melodic and progressive elements, that has both instant appeal and a deeper substance that requires exploration over time.

Yep, it’s another top tier album from Allegaeon. Don’t miss this one.