With the Progressive and Tech Metal climate being so crowded and, at times, stagnant, any new breed of band has the unenviable task of trying to stand out from the hordes by bringing in any resemblance of freshness or innovation. Whilst there is undoubtedly an abundance of quality talents out there, all too often acts fail to leave much of an impression in comparison to many of their peers. Continue reading
You only need to glance at the fibre of metal in the last few years to see just how important Sikth were, and just how much they were missed during their absence. Almost singly responsible for the plethora of djent and Tech Metal bands in recent times; Sikth’s frenetic and jarring yet precise mathcore onslaught has grown its very own scene, with even festivals dedicated to such styles; and a legion of imitators. Continue reading
It was back in 2013 when Belgian mentalists BEAR really began to burst on to the radar for many. Having just signed with progressive metal champions Basick Records, the release of their second album Noumenon gained admirable plaudits, showing a band with a very direct and brutal approach to Tech Metal/Mathcore and, despite some shortcomings, plenty of future promise. It may have taken considerable time for the follow-up, but on album three; the creatively titled /// (Basick), the hibernation seems to have done absolute wonders. Continue reading