Swedish Melodic Death Metal starts and stops with Dark Tranquillity.
Their thirteenth full-length, Endtime Signals (Century Media Records), captures how and why the band has had such staying power for two decades. Continue reading
Tag Archives: clean vocals
ALBUM REVIEW: Northlane – Obsidian
Northlane reinvented themselves threw years ago with their fifth album, Alien. Pulling on their previously established metalcore sound and adding heavy synths, they creating a dark rave, almost Matrix vibe. The quartet continue on this unique sound in their latest project Obsidian (Believe)
Myrkur – Mareridt
In three short years, Danish singer-songwriter Amelie Bruun has already achieved what many fail to do across a lengthy career, and that is to create art that is interesting and distinctive. With Mareridt (Relapse Records), under the banner of her Myrkur project, she is releasing an album where there is genuine curiosity as to both how it will sound, but also whether she will be able to stride further into a more “mainstream” conscience (the use of the term mainstream being applied quite liberally here… this is unusual and uncompromising music, lest we forget). Continue reading
Lamb Of God’s John Campbell Says There Will “Probably” Be More Clean Vocals In The Future
Lamb Of God introduced clean vocals to their sound on 2015’s VII: Sturm Und Drang, and we can “probably” expect more in the future. Continue reading
Eddie Hermida: The New Suicide Silence Record Is My Most Favorite Thing I’ve Ever Done.
Photo by Meg Loyal Photography
Suicide Silence will be releasing their self-titled album on February 24th via Nuclear Blast Entertainment, and as Mark Heylum previously said, “It’s going to completely change everything you probably ever will think, and have thought, or ever will fucking feel about the band.” Continue reading
Mikael Akerfeldt Of Opeth Discusses Sorceress, The Meaning Of Success And More!
Opeth is currently out on the road in support of Sorceress, and as I said in my 10/10 review, this album is a progressive masterpiece. They’ve continued to evolve, and take risks, and the end result is a magical journey for the listener. At their recent show here in New York City, they treated fans to the new and old material at the historic Radio City Music Hall, and I recently got to speak with Mikael Akerfeldt about that special concert, as well as the new record. Enjoy my chat with the legendary vocalist below!
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Yesterday’s Saints – Generation of Vipers
So many bands have referenced the devil in their songs over the years that it’s probably easier to list the artists that haven’t flirted with Old Nick than the ones who have. Still, that doesn’t mean the subject matter has nothing new to offer as Washington D.C. quartet Yesterday’s Saints are keen to prove on debut record Generation of Vipers (Draconum).
With a concept on the role of Satan throughout the history of mankind and the album assembled like an opera with three acts each focusing on different styles of music, it’s fair to assume that the band don’t lack ambition. Thankfully they have the requisite chops for such a feat, for Generation of Vipers is a truly fantastic first attempt.
Rooted in melodic death metal but with a healthy dose of thrash along for the ride, the band start strongly with the hard-as-concrete riffs of ‘Fall of the Ancients’ and ‘Origen Adamantius’ which are so thrilling and perfectly crafted it’s impossible not to get instantly hooked. These are the kind of songs that the likes of Machine Head and Arch Enemy would kill to call their own, with the sheer power emanating from the speakers reminding the listener just how gut-pummelling traditional metal can be when it wants to. A more melodic side is demonstrated in the mid-paced splendour of ‘Sangreale’ while the blistering workout of ‘The Divine Tragedy’ is hands down one of the best modern thrash songs penned in many a year.
While the thunderous riffs, precision blasts and lock-tight groove is joy to experience, the bands’ secret weapon is undoubtedly vocalist Matt Rice who can growl with the best of ‘em but his Warrel Dane style clean vocals elevate things to another level entirely and wholly justify that overused epithet ‘epic’. All these elements combine to make Generation of Vipers a contender for the most assured and enjoyable debut you are likely to hear this year, and one that any fans of ‘true metal’ should get their lugholes round as quickly as possible. Magnificent.
9.0/10
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JAMES CONWAY