Deathcore

Entheos – Time Will Take Us All Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on March 7, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Deathcore, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 60 comments

“Animosity—a lesser-known early deathcore act—ripped wild through riff and breakdown alike, a different breed to the normally bass drop and breakdown-filled style. Not wanting for talent, Animosityߵs rhythm section would continue to pulse through other veins. Bassist Evan Brewer would lend his qualified thump to The Faceless, Fallujah, and more. Drummer Navene Koperweis briefly pounded tricky skins with Animals as Leaders and found other high-profile session gigs, including the most recent Machine Head album. Always reaching, though, the two reunited in 2015 to continue to progress their idea of rhythm-focused, technical death metal through Entheos.” Death goes on.

To the Grave – Director’s Cuts Review

By Thus Spoke on February 24, 2023 in Reviews, Deathcore, 81 comments

“Ok, stereotypes out of the way: I’m vegan. I bring this up because disparaging the violence—and apathy about such violence—of humankind towards our non-human brethren is To the Grave’s Director’s Cuts’ central theme. And I can sympathize. In the band’s words: “[w]e are all the writers and directors of an unending horror film, its actors unwilling and the scenes taking place in every circus, zoo, lab, farm, and slaughterhouse that stain our green globe”. Misanthropy, specifically from the perspective of humanity’s treatment of animals and the earth has been their ethos from day one. In a sense, they are a deathcore analog to Cattle Decapitation.” Arm the animals.

Dusk – Spectrums Review

By Cherd on February 17, 2023 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, Electronica Metal, Metalcore, 40 comments

“How I came to pen this review is kind of a funny story. Upon entering our promo pit and undergoing de-lousing, this record was tagged as death doom. Whether that was an honest mistake or something more nefarious is an ongoing discussion. The advance material does tout a guest spot by Jaani Peuhu, briefly a member of death doom luminaries Swallow the Sun (more on that later), but Steel has also openly admitted he sometimes lays promo traps for unsuspecting writers to unwittingly claim metalcore. Spectrums, the debut full-length by Saudi one-man band Dusk, has nary a hint of death doom. I’ll give you one guess what it is.” Traps in the glooming.

Distant – Heritage Review

By Saunders on February 9, 2023 in Reviews, Deathcore, 18 comments

“As far as the reviewing and the heavy music game is concerned, 2023 has been a slow start out of the blocks for yours truly. Already with a backlog of neglected albums to catch-up on from January, it is finally time to tackle my first review of 2023, from familiar deathcore band, Distant. Hailing from the Netherlands, previous experiences with Distant have been mixed to say the least. Their self-described downtempo deathcore has potential, however, up to this point Distant has been unable to truly capture interest across an album’s worth of material.” Distant but present.

A Cherdmas Carol: Brojob – A Very Deathcore Christmas, Archeopteryx – A Very Blackened Christmas, and One Hell of a Christmas – Horrific Holiday Music for the Jaded Masses, Vol 1 Reviews

By Cherd on December 24, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Deathcore, Heavy Metal, 47 comments

“That night in my bedchambers, I had just changed into my dressing gown and settled before the fireplace when a song began playing, faintly, but growing louder until, alarmed, I recognized it as “The Hammer” by Skelator. “How?!” I cried. “Such drivel in my house?!” Just then, a ghostly apparition burst into the room and strut about like a pro wrestler winding up the crowd. I shuddered, for I knew its face.” Right in the Dickens!

Crypt Rot – An Ancient Summoning Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on November 26, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Deathcore, Slam, 11 comments

“Not all bands have lofty goals—such is the case for many in the slam zone. At the very least, though, slam bands attempt to humor their audience with band and album names that snag the eyes and knot the gut in the slow-moving sump of the “bring the riff back but slower” crowd. I myself have gawked at such names like Goresoaked Collection Of Slam Killed Craniums or Indomitable Worldwide Slamdemic (Invirulent) this year hoping to get a hit of that sweet, sweet slam crank. Unfortunately, great names do not always deliver. And even more unfortunately, Crypt Rot has a name generated by two death metal naming dice.” One time, at Slam Camp…

The Offering – Seeing the Elephant Review

By Holdeneye on November 3, 2022 in Reviews, Alternative Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal, Progressive Metal, 225 comments

“Three years ago, I covered Home, the debut full-length from Boston-based multi-genre masters The Offering. I loved Home at the time, but the intervening period has seen the record’s shadow grow even larger over me; it’s simply one of the most unique and mind-blowing albums I’ve ever heard. The album made my Top 5 of 2019 (and probably would move up at least one spot were I making that list today), so its follow-up comes with the highest of expectations.” You can’t go Home again.

Dr. Acula – Dr. Acula Review

By Dear Hollow on November 1, 2022 in Reviews, Deathcore, Hardcore, Mathcore, 23 comments

“I hail from the Pacific Northwest and have never set foot in the Big Apple, so I know nothing about Long Island. So when the promo reads “Deathcore from Long Island!!” I don’t know what the hell that means. Is that good or bad? Is Long Island the prodigal son of New York? Is Long Island something you’d rather fugeddabaat? I don’t know, but Dr. Acula calls it home. If you had told me that ten years ago, I would have cringed and made a mental note to never visit Long Island. But now? I’m not so sure.” No man is an island.

A Wake in Providence – Eternity Review

By Thus Spoke on October 30, 2022 in Reviews, Deathcore, 44 comments

“A mere week after Lorna Shore release their first full-length featuring new vocalist and (Youtube) sensation Will Ramos, comes the latest offering from A Wake in Providence, which just so happens to be the band with whom Ramos made his debut. With Adam Mercer providing pipes since 2017, this band were a key player in the rising subgenre of symphonic deathcore. As they are proud to point out, they were part of the “OG” gang that got the style started.” Wake up deathcore.

Lorna Shore – Pain Remains Review

By GardensTale on October 18, 2022 in Reviews, Deathcore, Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 143 comments

What a rollercoaster the last few years have been for Lorna Shore. Shortly after completing its big label debut Immortal, before the tour even started, vocalist CJ McReery was kicked to the curb for allegedly vile and reprehensible behavior. Considering extra-extreme vocals were one of the band’s pillars, they needed to find a unicorn on short notice. Enter Will Ramos stage left, originally recruited as a stand-in, who proceeded to casually go viral over the course of the pandemic.” The pain of change.