As I was sampling the new barn-burner from Distant, the lethal vocals featured on ‘Plaguebreeder’ actually scared off my fiance (as in she left the room, not that she gave back the ring!). 

So I knew I was in for a treat.

Heritage, the deathcore stalwarts’ third full-length and Century Media debut, packs a cacophony of shrill, boisterous, pummeling angst. Not to mention the artwork appears to be a distant relative of Genji. 

Having recently toured with Shadow Of Intent and Enterprise Earth, the five-piece fits in nicely in sound and in aggression. But now it’s time to address the elephant in the room: ‘Argent Justice’. Eerie notes and blistering drum pedaling give way to grotesque vocals, and the song progresses well for being over seven minutes long.  That’s because there are 16 – SIXTEEN – total vocalists on this track. Initially, it had me asking questions, the first being, is that really necessary? 

I understand the power and draw of guest vocalists. However, including over half a dozen, and especially in a genre like deathcore, where the uninitiated might not even realize more than one person was doing the vocals, seems to be incredibly superfluous. That technique works for punk or rap, where it’s much more distinctive. But Distant released ‘Argent Justice’ as a single ahead of the album’s release. To say there might be too many cooks in the kitchen is an understatement. 

The two tracks that stand out most have to be ‘A Sentence To Suffer’ and ‘Acid Rain’. The former is heavy-fisted and downright antagonistic, akin to a lawn mower fornicating with a snow blower. The latter is an interlude that develops into an epic bank heist movie scene.

‘The Grief Manifest’ finds Alan Grnja incorporating searing deep screams that are amplified by a subtle atmospheric black metal feel. Additionally, ‘Orphan Of Blight’ begins heroically, and cinematically. That’s not to say electronics reign supreme. The title track is raw and merciless, and ‘Exofilth’ sees Jan Mato attacking the drum set like it murdered their entire family. 

And there are breakdowns aplenty, of course.

Buy the album here:

https://DistantBand.lnk.to/HeritageID

7 / 10

MATT COOK