Djent – Page 11 – Wonderbox Metal

Novallo – Novallo II (Review)

Novallo are a Progressive Metal band from the US. This is their second EP.

Well, there’s a lot going on here. At only 22 minutes long this features more creativity and ideas than most albums three times the length. This is Experimental Metal featuring elements of the Progressive style as well as Jazz, Funk, Djent and Electronica influences.

This EP is a like a bright, shiny beacon of exciting and interesting music. It’s like the proverbial breath of fresh air. Of course, it won’t be for everyone, (but then again what is?), but these groovy and imaginative tunes certainly can’t be accused of lacking ambition or flair.

The singer’s voice is smooth and slinky, fitting in with the ultra-modern delivery of the music with ease. He’s like a Rock version of Jamiroquai.

Try to imagine a Djent base mixed in with a Progressive edge, Electronica melodies and added Jazz/Funk. Periphery meets Incubus meets Jamiroquai? It’s not far off.

The music is like an unusual version of a Pop hit, only with added guitars. It’s quite rare these days to hear a band doing something so completely their own, but Novallo are doing this more than most others.

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to freak out to music that doesn’t care what you call it, but just wants you to feel the groove and move.

A hit, to be sure.

Antlion – The Prescient (Review)

Antlion are a Canadian Technical Death Metal band and this is their début album.

Antlion’s brand of Death Metal incorporates some Jazzy, Progressive and Death-style elements into their Technical Death Metal broth and it tastes good. It’s a modern take on the genre and is somewhat of a mix of bands like Gorod and Between the Buried and Me’s quirky extremity, mixed with a classic essence of Death and just the barest touch of Djent.

The music is highly accomplished, featuring enough style and time-changes to satisfy anyone’s craving for challenging music. This is coupled with a wider Progressive sensibility that stops the music from going off the rails completely, but only just.

Liquid leads and fluid guitars fracture into spiky riffs and jagged melodies at a moment’s notice. The merging of the two disparate Progressive Technical Metal worlds that bands like Between the Buried and Me and Death inhabit is a stroke of genius and it’s a joy to hear the modern and the Old-School share space in this way.

The singer’s voice mainly consists of sharp, shrieking screams and aggressive growls. His performance fits the music and it’s nicely rabid the entire way through.

For all of their seeming-randomness, these are tightly controlled songs that have a surprising emotive content and even catchiness in places, both of which are unexpected for a band of this ilk.

This is an impressive release, especially for a début. I would love for this band to develop their Progressive side in the future, but at the same time keeping the inherent unpredictability of their Technical side. This would probably mean songs that average about 10 minutes in length each, but I’m happy with that. As it is though, The Prescient is a very involving slab of Technical/Progressive Death Metal with loads of content and a nasty bite.

Highly recommended.

Crimson Sun – Towards the Light (Review)

Crimson Sun are a Finnish Heavy Metal band and this is their début album.

This is Modern Melodic Metal with a nice heavy sound and added keyboards. An Electronica influence is included to add flavour to the sound, as well as a few Djent-isms here and there.

The songs are catchy and full of hooks and memorable melodies. A band like this is all about the songs and Crimson Sun have some good ones here. Psuedo-Classical and Electronica-tinged keyboards add another layer to the songs and there’s a lot of meat here to get your teeth into. There’s even the odd guitar solo, which I always appreciate.

In addition to these elements though the band also need a good singer to pull everything off. Thankfully they seem to have found one; her voice is a nice combination of the powerful and the melodic, adding a formidable presence to the songs.

I like that there’s actually a bit of bite and substance to the guitars, as frequently in these kind of bands they tend to play second fiddle to the vocals so much that they almost become afterthoughts. In this way, Crimson Sun remind me of Jaded Star; both bands have a decent guitar presence and both sound like real bands and not some commercially fabricated female-fronted hit machine, or something.

Having said that though, it’s not as if any number of these songs couldn’t be a hit. With the right exposure, the right video, etc.; Crimson Sun clearly have what it takes to succeed.

Melodic Metal played well, written well and performed well. Unless you’re allergic to the style then there’s nothing to not like. Towards the Light is a strong album full of strong songs.

The Big Jazz Duo – Enemy (Review)

The Big Jazz Duo arre from Italy and this is their début album.

Looking at the album cover and knowing the band’s name, you’d probably never guess that they play Death Metal. But they do; Experimental/Atmospheric Death Metal/Deathcore.

This is sickeningly heavy with grooves and breakdowns aplenty. Speed and brutality are also present, as are pignoise vocals and scathing screams.

There’s a Djent aspect to their sound too, which seems to go hand-in-hand with a lot of Deathcore.

The band also include orchestral interludes, atmospheric sections and the like in their sound, which immediately makes them more interesting and raises their game.

Deathcore and Djent are two sub-genres that can get very stale, very quickly, if not handled well. The Big Jazz Duo avoid this trap by mixing these up with more traditional Death Metal and a melodic edge, as well as the more experimental aspects of their sound.

The songs are well written and the band understand the need for dynamics and pacing. A very polished and strong production rounds off the package and ensures that the songs have the best chance to shine.

These songs may be largely quite short but they’re packed to the rafters with goodies. Heavy groove, blasting carnage and atmosphere all merge together to create a listening experience that, in all honestly, makes me really fucking happy. I can always tell when I’m getting into an album when I start spontaneously bouncing along to it without realising. As you do.

If you imagine a cross between The Black Dahlia Murder, All Shall Perish and Xehanort then you’ll be on the right lines.

So, Brutal Death Metal, Djent, Deathcore, melody, atmosphere, orchestration…all in 31 minutes and all very well-written? I’m sold!

An extremely impressive album, especially considering the oft-dreaded Deathcore/Djent aspects of their sound.

Very highly recommended.

Shields – Guilt (Review)

Shields are a Metal band from the UK and this is their latest EP.

Shields play heavy Modern Metal with some aspects of Djent, Metalcore and Hardcore influences included.

The vocals are angry shouts for the most part, mixed in with a few slightly higher screams here and there. These are juxtaposed against soaring cleans that announce the more melodic side of the band whenever they appear.

Although this is on the more popular/commercial side of the Metal spectrum the band are clearly into what they’re doing, something which always makes a difference. Also, this is heavy enough to ensure that they won’t be receiving any major-station radio play any time soon.

In general I’m not a huge fan of the Djent style but here it’s only one aspect of their sound. In some ways Shields remind me of the American Trustkill-style of yesteryear, mixed with a more contemporary Djent/Metalcore influence.

The band throw in heavy riff after heavy riff but the melodic influences serve to break things up before they can become one-dimensional. They also seem to be in the starting stages of incorporating more atmospheric influences into their sound; it’s early days yet but these initial forays are encouraging. I can even imagine them incorporating some of the tricks that Fallujah employ into their music and maybe even developing a bit more along those lines, albeit without the Death Metal influence, of course.

It’s easy for a band playing this style to sound stale or generic. Too easy in fact; both Djent and Metalcore are too prone to this. Sheilds manage to avoid the majority of these problems by using a combination of both that tries to take the best from each. Add to this the melodic and atmospheric parts and you actually have a band that can hold attention and have managed to re-ignite some of my passion for this type of Metal.

Well, it seems there’s life in this sub-genre yet. Shields have impressed and it turns out that Guilt is entirely guilt-free.

I think I need to find a mosh pit now.

Third Ion – 13/8bit (Review)

This is the début album from Third Ion who are a Progressive Metal band.

Heavy Metal meets Chiptune? Well, mainly Heavy Metal to be honest. When the chiptune parts do appear they shouldn’t really work but amazingly they do, mainly because they don’t overdo it of course.

This is quite a mix of styles in some ways. The Progressive Metal/Rock aspect of their sound is a modern one yet they still carry obvious influences from older Progressive Rock. Some of the guitars have a modern, almost-Djent feel to them whilst others are pure 70’s inspired riffs with added distortion.

As well as this we have the obvious electronic/video-games influences that are not overused and instead just add some individuality to the pot.

There’s also an unexpected Grunge element to their sound. This manifests not only in the music but also in the vocals. There’s a kind of laid back, hazy feel to things that recalls bands of this type and era.

The musicianship on display here is first-rate, as is the recording. Importantly the songs themselves are well-written and the album has a kind of easy-listening vibe despite the frequent higher-energy and more upbeat sections.

This is a really enjoyable Progressive Metal album that’s a little different due to the mix of related styles. Recommended.

Fathoms – Lives Lived (Review)

Fathoms are from the UK and play Metallic Hardcore. This is their début album.

The band play modern Metalcore with gruff, angry vocals and plenty of beatdown guitars.

The songs feature twisting, distorted guitars that are halfway between Djent and Hardcore, with more Metal influences sneaking into the mix on occasion.

It’s passionately played and delivered, and none could fault the band’s convictions. This comes across in the songs and the impressions they make.

The heavy riffs are performed with energy and enthusiasm. They seem to thunder out of the speakers and land causing furious damage.

Lives Lived is not all brutal riffs and angry intent though. The band do flirt with a melodic edge sometimes, and the shouted vocals even give way to some more melodic cleans on occasion. These moments are kept relatively infrequent however; enough to make an impact when they are used but not enough to become commonplace or boring.

Incorporating aspects of bands like Dead to Fall, Martyr AD, Martyr Defiled and Darkest Hour, Fathoms have created a very enjoyable début release that hits the spot like a lot of US Metalcore did in the mid-00s, before the style became mired in mediocrity and generic copying.

Highly recommended.

Aenemica – Empty Inside (Review)

Aenemica are from Germany and this is their début album. They play Progressive Rock.

This is modern Progressive Rock that has influences from both Progressive Metal, Modern Rock/Metal and even a splash of Djent to some of the riffs.

The singer has a voice that’s soft like silk and flows like liquid gold. He’s instantly engaging and very listenable. His voice is very versatile and the harmonies and tunes used are infectious and very more-ish.

The songs are a merging of the more modern, commercial style of Rock/Metal, (incorporating elements of Djent and Stadium Rock), and a more classically influenced Progressive Rock style. It’s played and delivered extremely well so that they successfully blend the different aspects of the music into their sound. The result is one that’s pretty much pure aural candy.

Imagine a combination of Evanescence, Device, Queensrÿche and Pain of Salvation; it’s quite a combination but it works together well.

The focal point is clearly the vocals though. Personally I’d like to hear the music slightly higher in the mix so as to create an equal emphasis on the music/vocals, but this is only a small complaint really.

Aenemica are a worthy addition to the world of tuneful Metal. Have a listen.

Unfathomed of Abyss – Arisen Upon Oblivion (Review)

Unfathomed of Abyss is a one-man project from the US. This is his début album of Symphonic Black Metal.

It’s clear from the start that the brains behind this album is a very talented individual as the musicianship and songwriting is at an advanced level.

The drums are the only instrument he doesn’t perform. Rather than going the easy route and opting for a drum machine however, instead he has enlisted the considerable talents of Kevin Talley, (Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Chimaira, Misery Index, Six Feet Under, etc.), which lends the album much more presence than a mere drum machine ever could.

Symphonic Black Metal can sometimes lack bite and attack, but this is not the case here. Unfathomed of Abyss boasts an aggressive demeanour which is only enhanced by the keyboards, effects and piano additions.

Powered by the relentless drumming, the songs are lengthy and layered in thick atmospheres. Care and attention has been spent on these creations that much is clear. Strong soundscapes and expansive Blackened auras permeate everything.

There’s more to these songs than just Black metal though, as influences from Death Metal and even wider genres, (elements of Doom and Djent, for example), can be heard in some of the riffs.

The vocals run the spectrum from deep growls to the very high pitched screaming that forms the bulk of the performance.

Taking off where early Emperor left off; Arisen Upon Oblivion manages to capture a similar feeling to those early classic Black Metal albums. Mix this with a bit of Ihsahn’s solo work and Peccatum and you have an album that manages the admirable achievement of being strongly influenced by a notable Metal legend without sounding like a pale imitation.

This is an enjoyable album that won’t please everyone, but then again that was never the aim of Black Metal was it?

Anaal Nathrakh – Desideratum (Review)

Anaal Nathrakh are from the UK and this is their 8th album. They play Black Metal.

Even since they first crawled out of Hell well over a decade ago Anaal Nathrakh have been a fixture of UK Metal for me. Their début album The Codex Necro was, and is, a case study in malevolent, grim Black Metal writ large and hateful.

Since their raw but powerful Black Metal origins their style has changed over the years; still scathing Black Metal but with elements of Extreme Metal and with added heroic and very catchy cleans thrown in.

And this is how we find them on Desideratum. The cleans are still buried under fields of filth and the screamed vocals are still sharp enough to slice fingers off. The intensity is real and the rage is palpable. The singer’s voice continues to be one of Extreme Metal’s best and his performance on Desideratum is stunning.

The songs are always catchier than you would expect for a band like this and even the most extreme blasting sections remain memorable. It’s always been a gift of the band that they are able to unleash such acerbic, raging songs that nonetheless remain full of hooks and enough Blackened melodies to give you whiplash.

Anaal Nathrakh have always had a vaguely Industrial feel to some of their work, sometimes coming across as an aural portrait of urban decay. On Desideratum this is more apparent than ever and adds a further layer of darkened potentiality to their sound.

When they’re not going full out hyperblast there’s even, (whisper it), a slight Djent slant to the odd riff here and there this time. It shouldn’t work but it does.

Eight albums in and Anaal Nathrakh continue to impress. The songs are strong and their apocalypse is coming ever closer. And do you know one of the best things about this band? They don’t particularly sound like anyone else. In 2014 this is a major achievement.

Another triumph from this Blackened jewel in the crown of UK Metal. Desideratum is desideratum indeed.