DIG TWO GRAVES : Deathwish

Dig Two Graves is a progressive metalcore outfit from central New Jersey. Combining an eclectic mix of Progressive Metal, Djent, and atmospheric dream pop. Starting back in 2017, Dig Two Graves has been working tirelessly to separate them from the pack in a very crowded genre. By combing a variety of musical styles into their all too often, cliché-heavy genre, this is their debut recording.

The first song is an instrumental that starts off interesting and quiet with some samples then gets a bit irritating with the skipping sound that it takes on. The first track, “As Above” starts off nice and heavy and gets your headbanging with the power and driving force it has. The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the screamed vocals, the clean vocals in the song are far better. I really liked the background to most of the songs, light and lilting music that soothes and then bang, the heaviness hits you like a kick to the groin, but the lilting music is still there in the background. Closer “So Below” is an epic song coming in at over 7 minutes and has everything in it, dream pop, progressive and metal, in your face metal. The song is a perfect end to the album with the band firing on all pistons and giving you the raw emotion and power that you expect from the previous songs. The added female vocals are a perfect addition to the track.

While not being too different sounding from track to track, the band does have potential to get a lot of fans and would probably put on one hell of a show live. While not being huge on the screamed vocals, the intensity and rawness does give this a lot of power and does make it stand out from the other bands with everything mixed up the way that they do it.

https://digtwogravesband.com/

https://www.instagram.com/digtwogravesband/

IN THE ACT OF VIOLENCE: Supreme Hate

Having been around since 2006, this Oshawa, Ontario band has just put together a new EP of five heavy songs to melt your face, speakers, head, home…….everything. They have previously released five other albums, and just keep getting tighter than a frog’s ass in water, and harder than a guy at an orgy.

Five new songs, five ways to be pissed off and play as heavy as possible….what a concept! The band comes out of shoot with both guns blazing and nothing held back. The songs are angry, will get your head banging and played with finesse, yes, I said finesse. You can hear the quick changes and the tight playing just stands out from the mediocre crap that you hear from a lot of other bands. You get gruff, shouted vocals, plus the odd bit of smooth vocals mixed in, emotional playing….anger is an emotion, and production that is clear and makes it easy to hear everything going on. The band plays metalcore that really grabs your ears and makes you want to jump up and find a pit. The five songs go by fast, almost too fast and you really want more, but this is a great way to get you to sample their music, a taste, but not too much to get sick of.

This is a band that yo need to look out for and get in on the ground floor before you can’t afford a ticket to see them live. Power, talent and the tunes to prove it makes for a great listen and a definite purchase. Turn it up bitches!

https://www.facebook.com/intheactofviolencemusic/

https://intheactofviolence.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/Hotfoot-Records-Record-Label-152731431412358/?fref=ts

http://www.hotfootrecords.com/

https://hotfootrecords.bandcamp.com/

OUR SOULS EVOLVE: Origins: Download

This metal band based in Montreal, Quebec plays a mix of ambient, Djent and metalcore that blends together a lot better than you would think. This debut EP contains eight songs, three of them instrumentals that show a ton of talent.

The band gets hings started with an instrumental intro that has a nice light ambient feel to it before blazing into “Wasteland” and getting right down to the nitty-gritty. Lots of riffing, growled vocals, and hammering drums get things going. This continues throughout the rest of the songs with the vocalist actually growling at times during songs like “Evolve” and making the album an angry, wild ride, but hold on kids because all of a sudden the band throws in some mellow playing to bring things down on the instrumental “Just A Memory.” Just as you bask in the serene sounds, the band kicks things back into high gear with the heavy-hitting “Afraid.” The album also concludes with an instrumental version of this song, while being cool, it would have been nice to have another new song instead.

Other than one tiny complaint, this was a very cool album, with tight playing, crisp production and it shows a lot of potential that I hope will be carried over to a full-length album.

https://www.facebook.com/OurSoulsEvolve  http://oursoulsevolve.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/silverwingsstudios  http://www.swstudios.ca/

ENDVADE: Ascension: CD

This band from Montreal, Quebec plays a tight and intense style of metal that incorporates core, progressive metal, technical metal and Djent all mixed together to melt your head. You get four songs on this EP and every one of them is a mosh fest that will get your head banging as soon as you start to listen.

Gruff, raspy vocals with thick bass, lots of leads, rhythm and pummeling drumming make up this set of songs with the band playing hard and heavy to get you to get your anger and frustrations out. These guys really get down to the nitty-gritty of the music and play with head down intensity and a pure love for what they are doing, no bullshit, just hard and crisp metal. The guitar and bass playing are the standouts with those two instruments giving us the best show on the EP. Not one song is bad, not one is boring, everything is a punch in the kidneys.

For only four songs, these guys pull off an EP that feels full and complete, not a second is wasted and it really sets you up to want to hear what’s next from them. These guys have put a ton of work into the tight sound and awesome production…more!

https://www.facebook.com/endvadeofficial  http://endvade.bandcamp.com/

TRIALS: In The Shadow Of Swords: CD

Starting back in 2008, this Chicago, IL metal band plays a mix of thrash and metalcore with a bit of groove thrown into the mix. This sophomore album contains ten tracks, one of them being a cover of JUDAS PRIEST’s “Jawbreaker”.

This album picks up where their last one left off, but in a much more polished and mature way. There is clean, melodic singing along with some growling, but it is all understandable and that’s always cool since I like to hear the lyrics. This album has catchy riffs, break-speed drums and bass guitar that brings on the heavy that drives the entire record into a high place and never lets up. They have come up with fat grooves that will get your head banging and make for a mighty sore neck after listening to this album. The power and passion that is all over this record is amazing, as soon as you think it can’t get better, it does and it just keeps kicking your ass. I don’t have a favorite track, I have a new favorite album, one great track after another.

All I can say is this is one hell of an album, one that should be bought by you and taken to your friend’s house to get them into the band and buy a copy too. For only being a sophomore album, it makes me scared what they are capable of putting out in the future…they’re that good!

 

MISERY SIGNALS: Absent Light: CD

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin metalcore band has put out their new album independently and includes a bit of progressive metal in their sound. These eleven new songs come at you hard and furious, with fists swinging, but with flourishes of finesse that grab you.

On their fourth studio album, and first since 2008, MISERY SIGNALS has put out an album that flows and blends together from track to track, from heavy to lighter sounding, sometimes even in the same song without it sounding forced or contrived. There are a lot of atmospheric parts on the album and very beautiful, gentle sounds, as well as brutal and heavy sounds that lay waste to the surroundings, and it really shows the talent that they have to give you the highs and lows with stunning playing. The growled and shouted vocals, the devastating drumming, the killer bass, and the guitar playing that lays down hard riffs, gentle strumming and powerful solos give you a crushing return to the scene after a lengthy hiatus. The highlights were “Luminary”, “Reborn (An Execution)”, “Carrier”, “Two Solitudes”, “The Shallows”, and “Ursa Minor”.

A fantastic return from a band many thought had disappeared into the ether, but came back better than ever. With the added progressive metal, there is a lot to explore on this album, something that yo can do while you listen to it again and again.

https://www.facebook.com/MiserySignals  http://miserysignals.bandcamp.com/

http://www.miserysignals.net/

BORNBROKEN: The Healing Powers Of Hate: CD

After two years in the making, Montreal, Quebec’s BORNBROKEN released its debut ten track album of metal thrash core.  Formed in 2008, this five piece band has taken its time to put out an album that shows off their strengths in spades.

You can hear the thrash on this album with the tight grooves that they lock into and you can hear the metal core on here as well with the intense breakdowns that are used to accentuate the heaviness of the song, not to just be there for the sake of being there.  The brutal bass, hammering percussion, high-speed guitar solos and the powerful growled and shouted vocals really blend together for a thick goulash that you just want more of. The crisp, clear production really gives this album a sharp sound that cuts through other bands that think muddy means heavy, BORNBROKEN prove that clear sounding albums can be heavy and totally in your face. Some songs that stood out were, “Can’t Quiet The Riot”, “Old News”, “I Will Rise”, “Control”, “It Has Begun”, “Bleed The Sky”, and “Reborn From The Ashes”.

This is one hell of a debut album, chock full of intensity and brutal playing that will get your head banging and your poor neck hurting. Let’s hope that they don’t wait two more years to put out more music and I’m glad that they are no longer a Quebec secret, shout it out kids…BORNBROKEN kick major ass!

https://www.facebook.com/BornBroken  http://brokenmusic.ca/

http://bornbroken.bandcamp.com/

DEATH RAY VISION: Get Lost Or Get Dead: CD

Current members of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SHADOWS FALL and ex-members of OVERCAST and CANNAE have combined forces in the new project DEATH RAY VISION. You get five metalcore songs in just under fifteen minutes, so no screwing around on here.

“Shattered Frames” has buzzsaw riffs and galloping rhythms that take you to a great chorus and mosh parts. “Get Lost Or Get Dead” is a foot on the throat, all-out hardcore song that comes at you at maximum speed and has great bass, guitar licks, powerful drumming and the gang vocals are great. “Not For Glory” has a nice guitar lick at the beginning then goes into some kick ass thrashy metalcore that will get the pit going crazy. “Chainsaw Of Bees” is an instrumental that you can see being a great intro for the band to get the crowd pumped up and moshing. “Drown The Light” goes right for the jugular with the band getting hard and heavy with the bass and drums devastating your eardrums, the guitarist throwing the great leads out and the gruff vocals giving us the last fuck you before ending off this E.P.

This is a great tease that makes you cry out for more from them in the future. The guys really gelled and made this sound like a real band, not like a throwaway piece of fluff. Power and excellent musicianship take this to the pit for a slamming good time for all.

https://www.facebook.com/DeathRayVision  http://deathrayvision.bandcamp.com/album/get-lost-or-get-dead-original-ep

http://www.deathrayvision.com/  https://www.facebook.com/BulletToothHQ

 

DYST: Judges And Butchers: CD

DYST are five guys from Bergen, Norway, they released two EP’s and now have their debut album out. Formed in 2008, founding members vocalist Joakim and drummer Lasse are joined by new members Marcus and Johannes on guitar and Snorre on bass.

This metalcore band starts off their album with “Sailors Grave”, which has great guitar playing and some heavy drumming that was quite impressive, and Joakim’s vocals are shouted with throat shredding abandon. “Safest Haven” takes the energy of the first track and gives it a kick in the balls as this song is harder and heavier with crazed vocals that probably wouldn’t make anyone feel safe, and manic drumming from Lasse. “Crossbearer” has the blast beats, but not overdone, and is actually really melodic and more metal at times than core, and has awesome riffs. “Black Waves” is sonically the most diverse song on the album with samples, dissonance and so much going on that it was a highlight for me. “Blot The Blood” is just one brutal track that if you heard live, would be crushing in the pit, so much power and energy in this one. The guys really seemed to be trying their hardest to make these songs as hard and heavy as they could and they have succeeded admirably. The album’s production is clean and full, giving DYST the ability to fill in the spaces with as many riffs as they could fit in. The vocals throughout this album are fantastic with Joakim going from crazed shouted to some almost spoken parts that give the songs both the anger and depth of his ability. Some other songs that I enjoyed were, “Green Pastures”, and “Calm The Storm”.

DYST have put together an album of incredible riffing and vocals that has some good melodic and atmospheric parts to keep it interesting as well. It’s a damn good debut album that will definitely appeal to fans of metalcore and if they put half as much energy into their live shows as they have on this CD, they’re bound to be awesome.

https://www.facebook.com/dystofficial

THE GREEN RIVER BURIAL: Separate & Coalesce: CD

THE GREEN RIVER BURIAL is a German band from Frankfurt and formed in 2008. After releasing a demo in mid 2009 the band released their self-produced EP in February 2010, titled Means To An End, and now the have put out their debut album, Separate & Coalesce.

They say that their music is hardcore / deathcore, I say that it’s metalcore and there’s nothing wrong with that because there really isn’t much in the way of hardcore on here at all. You get the growling, deep vocals, chugging guitars, thumping drums and rumbling bass work of metal core, so don’t be ashamed to call it that. Now that we have that settled, let’s get a bit deeper, shall we? These guys carry off the metal pretty well, lots of cool breakdowns going on played by Mo, along with the growling vocals by Mert, we have a bit of clean vocals mixed in, the drumming by Tom and the bass from Phil are also done really well and they succeeded in getting my foot tapping and getting into the songs more as the album played. There is a nice instrumental track just over half way through the album that lets the band show of a bit of a different, more mellow sound that was a nice treat.

I really thought they did a great job on here and really liked it a lot more than I thought that I would. These guys have put out an album that should get the metalcore fans out there and buy it and go see them if they come around your neighborhood.

https://www.facebook.com/thegreenriverburial  http://www.thegreenriverburial.bigcartel.com/  https://www.facebook.com/Bastardizedrec  http://www.bastardized.net/