The Black Dahlia Murder - Nightbringers

If you're a fan of melodic death metal, the chances of you being a fan of The Black Dahlia Murder are pretty high. Regarded by many as one of the best within the genre, their back catalogue is full of sonic onslaughts. Frantic guitars with chilling melodies and blistering leads, fast and powerful drums, Trevor Strnads unmistakable vocal style; they are one of the few bands in their genre that are immediately recognisable. Their latest offering Nightbringers aims to add to their already stellar collection of material. As a long time fan of the band, I thought I'd check it out and see if it made me want to pump my fists in the air or throw my speakers in the bin. I have an obvious bias towards the former being a fan of the band, but also because my speakers weren't cheap and it would be emotionally painful to chuck them. But alas, I will try to be somewhat neutral.

Every album they release tends to begin with an absolute blinder as a first track, and this one is no exception. "Widowmaker" begins by building suspense with synths and atmospheric noises, before launching into a enormous fist pumper of a riff; the exact kind of riff The Black Dahlia Murder are known for. The guitars are nothing short of spectacular, weaving from riff to riff and navigating through solos with ease. Second track "Of God and Serpent, Of Spectre and Snake" doesn't give you a chance to catch your breath, speeding through dark intricate guitars at breakneck pace. The drumming on this track in particular are seriously impressive, with drummer Alan Cassidy really showing off his chops. Just thinking about the relentlessness of the drums makes me feel exhausted. "Matriarch" is more varied in pace, and sounds like pure evil. Some sections are impossible to keep your head still during, almost willing your neck to slowly but surely allow your head to nod in appreciation. All of the tracks have an element of speed about them, but would you expect any less? Tracks like "Jars" and "Catacomb Hecatomb" are masterclasses in the genre and stand as a shining example to why The Black Dahlia Murder are still one of the most respected bands in death metal. But the slower (well, slightly slower) songs are musically incredible and act as the highlights for me. Title track "Nightbringers" features some enormous triplet driven verses and a massive thrash vibe. Album closer "The Lonely Deceased" is like a death metal ballad, showcasing melodies that are both beautiful and melancholic. I mean some sections couldn't be further from being a ballad if they tried, and I don't think any ballads exist with blast beats, but if they did, they'd sound similar to this. "As Good As Dead" is musically amazing too. That intro lead pattern and the chords that sit behind gel together perfectly, and the change of pace that follows hit me like a ton of bricks. The verses and choruses showcase a band in their element, especially the solo section in the middle of the track that jumps from scale to scale and key to key like childs play. By the time I reached the end of the record I was almost out of breath. I am happy to confirm that I will not be throwing my speakers in the bin. Partly because my arms hurt from all the fist pumping, but mainly because this record is incredible.

This is possibly their best release since Nocturnal. Don't get me wrong, everything they've released for the last few years has been great, but they never quite managed to recreate the ferocity and doomy feel they flaunted on that record. With this record, they've done exactly that. The musicianship is astounding, the pace of the record keeps you on your toes throughout and the production is enormous. This record isn't just furious. This record isn't just doomy. Nightbringers is a dark and twisting road through an apocalyptic landscape, with a soundtrack fresh from the fieriest pits of hell. If you are a fan of melodic death metal, you need to listen to this album.

D.S

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36 Crazyfists - Lanterns

I remember the first time I heard about 36 Crazyfists. I remember it being a very important and pivotal part of my musical exploration as a teen. I bought an issue of Kerrang! magazine that had a free CD with it. I used to only buy issues of Kerrang! if it had a CD with it because, well, y'know, more for your money and all that. This CD was called "Ripped" if my memory serves me, and I don't really remember the bands that were featured on it. Apart from 36 Crazyfists. "The Heart And The Shape" was one of the first tracks featured on this CD, and it knocked me for six. The blend of heavy riffing with melodic vocals was an immediate winner for me. Up to this point in my life, I hadn't heard anything that was so punishing whilst also being so catchy and melodic. And that guitar tone, so gain heavy and punchy. I was hooked. The next day I took my paper round money to HMV and bought my copy of A Snow Capped Romance, and my love affair began that day when I completely fell for the album. I've always tried to stay in touch with what they've released, but I haven't been as tuned in since Rest Inside The Flames. I felt the need to focus my attention to their latest release Lanterns, something I feel like I should've done a few albums ago. Let's see if the Alaskan metalcore mob have still got that punch.

Album opener and first single "Death Eater" is a huge statement. They haven't lost their edge. A marriage of heavy riffs, pounding drums, and that catchy vocal over heavy guitar work that I've grown to know and love. This is one of the heaviest tracks on the record, and is a definitive nod to their roots and how they sounded back when they first started. "Wars To Walk Away From" is packed full of grit and power, courtesy of Brock Lindow's vocals, showcasing the lyrical theme of a personal journey, learning lessons from the things that are thrown at you and coming out on the other side. "Better To Burn" is thick and meaty, full of groove and decoratively littered with clean tones, giving a nice contrast to the harder sections. "Damaged Under Sun" is another track that sound like it could've featured on an earlier Crazyfists album, effortlessly merging that heavy guitar driven sound with catchy vocals. The following track "Sea and Smoke" is the first appearance of their softer and slower side, showcasing Lindow's command of his vocal chords and his ability to write strong melodies. It feels almost like a ballad, stripping the instruments back in the right places and allowing the atmosphere to build and put the emotive lyrics at the forefront of the focus. "Where Revenge Ends" gives you a chance to regain your breath after the first 5 tracks, featuring an acoustic guitar and Lindow's raspy and gritty voice lulling you into the calm. Further on in the album, "Below The Graves" is a big chunk of classic Crazyfists with a huge metal edge, equipped with an enormous chorus and some very well structured phrases. The verse riff has an almost southern edge to it, really adding a nice twang to the the vocals. Album closer "Dark Corners" is impressive, too; a dark and brooding way to finish things off. Lyrically the album is an insight into Lindow's struggles, so it makes complete sense to end the album with this vibe and intelligently bringing a sense of resolve to the album.

The album is great. It's everything you'd expect from one of their albums, but it just feels like it's lacking something. The back end of the album, for me, trails off. The first few tracks are all concrete, full of memorable moments and sharp songwriting, but everything towards the end just doesn't pack that same focus. I almost had to force myself to finish listening to the album, as I began to lose interest past the halfway point. It almost feels like half of the album is just filler, which is a shame. The production of the record is great too, but it doesn't blow me away. If you listen to their older material and then skip forward to this release, there isn't a lot of difference, which probably has something to do with guitarist Steve Holt being at the helm of the production process. In places, everything sounds a bit muddy and gets a bit lost. It isn't all bad, though. The guitars do sound just as punchy and gigantic as ever, the drums are snappy, the vocals burst through the mix nicely too. It just isn't consistent.

There was a bit of chatter that 36 Crazyfists had lost their way a little bit with the last few albums. I think that this album definitely shows that if they had lost it, they're back on track now with Lanterns. Although the album isn't a start to finish masterpiece, it has got some stand out tracks and some really memorable moments. Lyrically and musically dark in many places, this shows a real maturity to the bands sound, whilst still holding on to all of the elements that made them great when they first surfaced all those years ago. Definitely worth a listen for old fans and new. Not their best, but still a strong album that deserves a spin if you're fan of any of their back catalogue. They're back.

D.S

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ALBUM WORSHIP // All That Remains - The Fall Of Ideals

Back when metal started to really become popular, we had the big four. Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. There was always a band that was skimmed over, a band that I always thought should have made them the big five, and that band was Testament. They did everything the four big guns were doing, but with their own identity, and they did it well. They deserved it in my opinion. In more modern metal, I feel like metalcore also had a big four. Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Unearth and Shadows Fall. And I feel that the band missing from that is All That Remains. And that is mainly based on the strength of The Fall Of Ideals. In my opinion it's one of the most perfect albums from that era of metalcore, setting a very high standard from albums that followed it in the genre, and setting All That Remains apart from the pack as a band that needed your attention.

Opener "This Calling" throws you straight into the oncoming storm at breakneck pace, with thundering kick drums and snares ringing out over the melodic but heavy riffing. The riffing never holds back, dipping its toes in crushingly heavy sections as well as tearing through soaring and melodically complex leads. Phil Labonte (vocals) also shows off his chops here, demonstrating his control of his vocals with a range of different pitches of screaming, and showing off his vocal range with memorable and hook laden cleans. It acts as the perfect appetiser for what's to come. "Not Alone" features more of the same, starting with an intricate guitar harmony before erupting into a choppy guitar riff sat behind the robotic precision of drummer Shannon Lucas. Labonte uses clever vocal phrasing during the verses, matching the rhythms of the choppy guitar pattern which instantly makes it sound catchy. "We Stand" and Guitar Hero anthem "Six" feature more perfect blends of melody and heaviness, the latter showcasing exactly how to play around with dynamics and build suspense in metal. Roughly halfway through the track, the music completely strips back to a beautiful clean section, gradually introducing an octave guitar to the mix. Slowly edging forwards, it explodes into the full band, blazing through solos and then finding it's resolve in the form of returning to the chorus.

There are some much darker shades on this album, especially noticeable on tracks like "Become The Catalyst". Labonte kicks off the track with a long held out low vocal, immediately setting the tone for the 3 minutes that are about to follow. The riffs are all fast and evil sounding, a dark and winding road through a melodically chaotic scenery; without doubt the heaviest on the album. Closer "Indictment" is like a summary of everything you've heard up to this point, slowly moving through both the heavy and light elements of the album complete with brutal vocals, decorative guitar parts, soaring harmonies, crushing breakdowns and enormous walls of chords. The highlight for me is "Whispers (I Hear Your)", an expertly structured slice of riffage and melody. The riffs all progress and develop in the right places, continuously grabbing your attention throughout. The chorus vocals are so catchy too; they're instantly lovable and they sit with the rest of the track perfectly. It's essentially structured like a pop song, repeating certain sections in all the right places, adding a sense of familiarity throughout and ultimately making it memorable. The entire album is structured that way, really, which is probably why I think it's so good. Because it's so memorable. The album is everything you could want from a metalcore album and more. If you've got to the end of the album and you aren't hooked and wanting to listen all over again, you've been listening to the wrong album. This is absolute gold.

The album is, quite simply, a masterclass in metalcore. It contains everything that is good about the genre, and it's delivered with precision, feel and aggression in all the right places and in all the right doses. If you're a fan of the genre and you haven't indulged in this album, you absolutely need to. This sits right up at the top of the essential albums list alongside The End Of Heartache, An Ocean Between Us, The War Within and The Oncoming Storm. It might even be one of the best metalcore albums of all time. They're still going to this day, still releasing solid album after solid album. If you haven't indulged yet, make sure you do. They were pioneers of the genre when this album was first released back in 2006, and they still are today. 

D.S

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Frontierer - The Hairy Dog, Derby, 27/09/17

As time progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to make music that's unique. To make music that has an identity, and contains something that nobody else is doing. As more time passes, more ideas get used, and then a lot of bands begin to start sounding the same. One of those bands is not Frontierer. They sound like if Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Aphex Twin had a baby, and that baby was given lots of drugs. Their debut album Orange Mathematics is a mind-bending whirlwind of disgusting noises, heavy guitars, punishing and erratic drums and more disgusting noises. And I mean that in the best way possible. If you've listened to it and not wondered how they possibly pull it off live, listen again. Because I definitely wondered that. And so, I went to go and see if they could pull it off.

The Hairy Dog is one of my favourite venues in the country. Not just because it's 20 minutes away from my house and sells nice alcohol, but because the place is a community for music fans of every genre. It's got a lot of support, and as a result it has been growing and growing in popularity, bringing bigger and better shows to Derby and getting the residents of the city involved in what it brings here. The turnout was great tonight, with a good number of people here early to catch the first band. That band, Sobriquet, were very impressive for a young band. Packing heaps energy and the vocalist sporting a creepy and un-ignorable stage presence, kicked off the show with a bang. The music was proggy and tight with some real clever and catchy phrases, and showed great potential for them going forwards. Visually they weren't the most together band, all of the members sporting very different levels of enthusiasm towards the show, but with a little bit more focus on their delivery and unity I can see the Sheffield lads becoming way more frequent on the local scene.

Next up was The Predecessors, a band that I hold a bit of a torch for. I used to be in The Predecessors for about a year, tracking some guitar parts for the guys and contributing a little towards the writing process in some areas. My commitment to Skies In Motion grew on the run up to the release of the album and it wasn't fair to the guys to hold them back, so I bowed out. They replaced me with another snapback wearing bearded man, Roy, who's a perfect fit for them, and I was excited to see them play their first show. And man, did they kill it. For a lot of the members, this was their first gig in a few years, so they weren't just getting back on the bike; they were learning how to ride it again. However, it looked like they didn't need to do a lot of learning. It didn't look like they'd been away for a long time at all. They looked and sounded tight and professional, stomping across the stage and engaging in headbangs and windmills, whilst simultaneously hammering out musically complex and technically mental material. The heavy bits were heavy, the pretty bits were pretty, and on a whole it sounded huge. Nathan (guitar) is a musical genius, not just thinking of the riffs, but thinking of all the layers and atmospheric noise to sit behind those riffs. The bigger picture, as it were. And it translated so well to the live performance. I'm proud of the boys for making such a huge statement with their first show, and I can't wait to see them play more.

The main support, Derby/Nottingham based Taken By The Tide, never ever disappoint. But this show was something else. They were tighter than I've ever seen them before. They always have this menacing presence when they perform, especially with Phil (vocals) slowly stalking across the stage as he snarls at the crowd. But tonight, it was impossible to take your eyes off them. Every single note was so piercing and crushing, and the drummer was essentially a human metronome. I said in my review of the Loathe show at the end of August that having two guitarists made them sound bigger, and tonight cemented that for me. There was so much weight behind their sound. I can't explain it any other way than "it was so tight". They're just getting better and better every time I see them.

Lastly, Frontierer took the stage. I had no idea what to expect, but I predicted it would go one of two ways. It was either going to blow my mind and be insanely precise, essentially like watching the album be recorded. Or, it was going to be an incoherent mess, with no discernible notes or sections, just sounding like noise. I am happy to report that it was the former. They were insane. The set was unrelenting, never once slowing down or allowing the audience to catch their breath. The guitarists use so many different effects to create the strange and unusual sounds they've become known for, and I wasn't sure how they'd come across in a live setting. They sounded enormous. It isn't used in an over the top manner, it's used tastefully throughout all the songs, adding a sense of unpredictability and unease throughout. But mainly, it adds to the heaviness. All the weird high pitched effects simply made the heavier bits sound heavier due to the contrast. And Chad (vocals) was angry. So angry. His vocals were raw and gritty, remaining powerful throughout the set, not once sounding like he was running out of steam or struggling. All together, they were an absolute wrecking ball, and by the time their set had come to an end I don't think there was one person in the room that hadn't been hit by it. They were seriously impressive, and from the strength of the new material that they performed, they're only going to get better.

If you're a fan of The Dillinger Escape Plan and are as gutted as I am that they're calling it a day, listen to this band. They aren't exactly the same, but they absolutely satisfy my appetite for unpredictable, relentless and energetic madness. Go and check out Orange Mathematics, available everywhere you can think of. If you head to their bandcamp page, you can pick it up for whatever price you see fit. Even if you think that price is free. This album is a gem, and this band are only going to go from strength to strength. Give them your time.

D.S

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