Textures – Genotype (Kscope) [Matt Bladen]
In 2018 it looked as if one of the founding pillars of the djent scene would never again play polyrhythmic guitar riffs. The Dutch prog metal band disbanded six years ago, however in 2026 they return with their sixth album Genotype, the continuing concept they first explored on 2016’s Phenotype, however anyone who may yearn for the a total return to how things were, may get a rude awakening with this record as Textures are now doing things on their own terms, created from scratch, self-produced, it’s a record that dictates who Textures are now, not who they were in 2018.Yes there is plenty of quiet/loud dynamics and polyrhythmic grooves on At The Edge Of Winter, where Charlotte Wessels joins on vocals. However there’s ambient flow, melodic keys and synth elements that owes much more to classic prog rock bands on Measuring The Heavens. Also there does seem to be the inspiration of Devin Townsend and his multi-discipline songwriting on the opening overture Void, an instrumental beginning that cements Textures as a band who know how to prog.
Probably why they have signed to one of the world’s foremost prog labels Kscope as it allows them to be more creative in their compositions, creating an album that belongs to them and them alone. Lyrically it’s personal, these are songs for the “introverts, outsiders, and those navigating internal worlds that often go unseen”, anthems to those that are the most resilient and honest.
The entire djent/prog metalcore or whatever you want to call it has evolved since Textures first arrived on the scene in the early 2000’s and they have had to evolve with it, but in the last decade I would say that things have shifted rapidly, many of the bands like Textures such as Tesseract, Periphery and Monuments are now the elder statesmen and have to adapt to remain relevant while the younger generation take what they did initially and make it something similar but different.
The entire djent/prog metalcore or whatever you want to call it has evolved since Textures first arrived on the scene in the early 2000’s and they have had to evolve with it, but in the last decade I would say that things have shifted rapidly, many of the bands like Textures such as Tesseract, Periphery and Monuments are now the elder statesmen and have to adapt to remain relevant while the younger generation take what they did initially and make it something similar but different.
Despite a lay off Textures clearly understand where they stand in the mix, Genotype manages to recapture the heaviness of their djent beginnings easily enough but with tracks such as Vanishing Twin and Closer To The Unknown they are well aware of the hybrid sound that is around now.
You could make an argument that they were one of the bands that started it off, with their forays into symphonic and power metal from the early days, but maybe that’s a discussion for another day. With a colossal mix from Forrester Savell, Genotype heralds the return of Textures as the masters of their domain. 9/10
You could make an argument that they were one of the bands that started it off, with their forays into symphonic and power metal from the early days, but maybe that’s a discussion for another day. With a colossal mix from Forrester Savell, Genotype heralds the return of Textures as the masters of their domain. 9/10
Crystal Lake - The Weight Of Sound (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]
Tokyo metallic hardcore now as veterans Crystal Lake come roaring back with another set of ferocious tracks, a new vocalist and a host of high profile guests.
Tokyo metallic hardcore now as veterans Crystal Lake come roaring back with another set of ferocious tracks, a new vocalist and a host of high profile guests.
Formed all the way back in 2002, Crystal Lake have become an internationally renowned live act and as they enter their 23 year they are feistier and louder than ever. Having added new vocalist John Robert Centorrino (ex- The Last Ten Seconds Of Life) recently, the core line up of guitarists Yudai "YD" Miyamoto and Hisatsugu "TJ" Taji, bassist Mitsuru and drummer Gaku Taura have embarked on a new journey with their first non-Japanese singer and they announce their arrival by kicking your head in on the chunky start-stop opener Everblack which features David Simonich from Signs Of The Swarm.
It’s business as usual from here on out with Centorrino a venom spitting addition to the band giving them a more Western vocal approach while the music is still a thrilling mixture of aggressive riffs and atmospheric synths, swapping and changing to constantly surprise you as to where they are going next but then battering you with massive breakdown after a moment of melodic clarity. They don’t slow it down for the next few either, more guests appearing as of Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage), Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer), Myke Terry (Volumes), and Karl Schubach (Misery Signals) all pitch in to add their snarls to the most intense Crystal Lake album yet.
It’s also their most personal, written through a nostalgic lens but always looking to the future, the overarching theme is the passing of time and the impact that being a band can have, how you influence culture and reflect the changing landscape around you, while trying to still be relevant to your fans but also present for your family who often bear the brunt of success. These ideas are present on The Weight Of Sound, it’s Crystal Lake taking stock of how far they’ve come but not resting on past glories, looking toward the next 23 years with eleven new heavy metalcore bangers. 8/10
It’s business as usual from here on out with Centorrino a venom spitting addition to the band giving them a more Western vocal approach while the music is still a thrilling mixture of aggressive riffs and atmospheric synths, swapping and changing to constantly surprise you as to where they are going next but then battering you with massive breakdown after a moment of melodic clarity. They don’t slow it down for the next few either, more guests appearing as of Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage), Taylor Barber (Left To Suffer), Myke Terry (Volumes), and Karl Schubach (Misery Signals) all pitch in to add their snarls to the most intense Crystal Lake album yet.
It’s also their most personal, written through a nostalgic lens but always looking to the future, the overarching theme is the passing of time and the impact that being a band can have, how you influence culture and reflect the changing landscape around you, while trying to still be relevant to your fans but also present for your family who often bear the brunt of success. These ideas are present on The Weight Of Sound, it’s Crystal Lake taking stock of how far they’ve come but not resting on past glories, looking toward the next 23 years with eleven new heavy metalcore bangers. 8/10
Death Dealer - Reign Of Steel (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]
Forged in the flame of lockdown and crafted over the next five years Reign Of Steel signals a return from the heavy metal supergroup Death Dealer. The band is the result of the combined powers of vocalist Sean Peck (Cage/Denner Shermann), guitarists Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar/Dictators) and Stu Marshall (Empires Of Eden/Night Legion). They're joined by bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X) and drummer Steve Bolognese (Into Eternity/Ross The Boss) to create the sort of music you could probably guess.
There's not much room for angst or introspection, neither is there much in the way of complexity or multi-genre inclusion. Death Dealer play heavy metal, muscular, macho, chest beating heavy metal, Devil's Triangle brings the influence of both Judas Priest and Manowar (obviously). As thrashy Bloodbath (inspired by the USS Indianapolis) and Dragon Of Algorath see Sean Peck screaming for so long you do have to worry his head will explode Scanners style!
It's not all shredding riffs and lung exploding screams though as Raging Wild And Free, takes the role of the albums ballad, making me think of Saxon. However this is a brief shift, with an album cover (Dusan Markovic) depicting a mechanized future war, Reign Of Steel is all about getting the head banging and your fist in the air. The dual harmonies and light speed shredding of Friedman and Marshall backed by the thick bass of LePond and machine gun percussion of Bolognese, come back on the neo-classical Blast The Highway or the chugging Compelled.
The muscle behind these tracks coming from the production of Marshall and Peck, who give it a thick analogue sound, which picks up every instrument, the mixing and mastering of Chris Themelco fitting the modern retro style Death Dealer strive for. The production is a lot more accessible than on their previous album thankfully and it means that you could definitely call this a return to form for Death Dealer. If you like your metal heavy then you'll love Reign Of Steel, if not then I don't know... leave the hall or something. 7/10
Forged in the flame of lockdown and crafted over the next five years Reign Of Steel signals a return from the heavy metal supergroup Death Dealer. The band is the result of the combined powers of vocalist Sean Peck (Cage/Denner Shermann), guitarists Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar/Dictators) and Stu Marshall (Empires Of Eden/Night Legion). They're joined by bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X) and drummer Steve Bolognese (Into Eternity/Ross The Boss) to create the sort of music you could probably guess.
There's not much room for angst or introspection, neither is there much in the way of complexity or multi-genre inclusion. Death Dealer play heavy metal, muscular, macho, chest beating heavy metal, Devil's Triangle brings the influence of both Judas Priest and Manowar (obviously). As thrashy Bloodbath (inspired by the USS Indianapolis) and Dragon Of Algorath see Sean Peck screaming for so long you do have to worry his head will explode Scanners style!
It's not all shredding riffs and lung exploding screams though as Raging Wild And Free, takes the role of the albums ballad, making me think of Saxon. However this is a brief shift, with an album cover (Dusan Markovic) depicting a mechanized future war, Reign Of Steel is all about getting the head banging and your fist in the air. The dual harmonies and light speed shredding of Friedman and Marshall backed by the thick bass of LePond and machine gun percussion of Bolognese, come back on the neo-classical Blast The Highway or the chugging Compelled.
The muscle behind these tracks coming from the production of Marshall and Peck, who give it a thick analogue sound, which picks up every instrument, the mixing and mastering of Chris Themelco fitting the modern retro style Death Dealer strive for. The production is a lot more accessible than on their previous album thankfully and it means that you could definitely call this a return to form for Death Dealer. If you like your metal heavy then you'll love Reign Of Steel, if not then I don't know... leave the hall or something. 7/10
Coronatus - Dreadful Waters (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]
A symphonic metal band featuring two mezzo sopranos, a rock singer and a violin, who span multiple influences and genres, with a new album that is “a dark and ambitious exploration of the mysteries, dangers, and mythic forces of the sea.” This one is going to be a ride if nothing else. Coronatus have been around for long old while and have more ex-members than Megadeth, with only band founder Mats Kurth still leading the band as both drummer and songwriter, sharing the latter role with gritty rock vocalist Brigitte "Nemesis" Kaefer and guitarist Harry Zeidler, both of whom joined the band in 2022.
Perhaps their input has made Kurth stretch a little more in his scope as Dreadful Waters takes many different routes through various musical styles, from the gothic symphonic metal of Nightwish, through heavy German rock, folk metal and Celtic balladry, Dreadful Waters is a record that takes a lot of time to digest properly. What you get out of it really depends on how much you enjoy folk driven gothic/symphonic music that features a traditional rock voice alongside two sopranos.
A symphonic metal band featuring two mezzo sopranos, a rock singer and a violin, who span multiple influences and genres, with a new album that is “a dark and ambitious exploration of the mysteries, dangers, and mythic forces of the sea.” This one is going to be a ride if nothing else. Coronatus have been around for long old while and have more ex-members than Megadeth, with only band founder Mats Kurth still leading the band as both drummer and songwriter, sharing the latter role with gritty rock vocalist Brigitte "Nemesis" Kaefer and guitarist Harry Zeidler, both of whom joined the band in 2022.
Perhaps their input has made Kurth stretch a little more in his scope as Dreadful Waters takes many different routes through various musical styles, from the gothic symphonic metal of Nightwish, through heavy German rock, folk metal and Celtic balladry, Dreadful Waters is a record that takes a lot of time to digest properly. What you get out of it really depends on how much you enjoy folk driven gothic/symphonic music that features a traditional rock voice alongside two sopranos.
It can be a bit overwhelming, add to that the complex arrangements and the violin, I did find my enjoyment and my attention wandering as there was an overall similarity between the performances but also a jarring difference between the styles, it was odd and confusing for me and became a slog.
With the pace varying wildly and maybe a little bit too much experimentation, these Dreadful Waters can be a perilous if you don’t come prepared. 6/10
No comments:
Post a Comment