Reviews: Internal Conflict, The Bleeding, Vessel, I Abyssick (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Internal Conflict - A P O R I A (PHD)

Leicester 5 piece Internal Conflict have recently been announced for a Sophie Stage slot at this year's Bloodstock so with that on the horizon about now is a good time to release a new lot of music. A P O R I A is exactly that album that will see them have 8 brand new modern metal bangers ready to unleash upon Carton Hall's mosh ready masses. It's the second record and was mixed and mastered by Neil Hudson of Krysthla for a truly powerful production kick that highlights this bands heaviness. However as Internal Conflict draw from the metalcore influence songs such as Hollow Heart not only bring down-tuned thrash riffs but also big melodic choruses that brings to mind bands like Killswitch Engage or Trivium guitarist Matt Hall's clean vocals working well with the growls of frontman Adam Kyle.

Hollow Heart is one of the most musically dense tracks here bringing their dark, turbulent, emotional lyrics to life in a cinematic style, guitarist. Sean Rice adding the synths here. But while this is one of the more melodic songs, they don't stick to one style using a hardcore influence on Traitorous and Atlas Down while numbers such as Bleed The Sky have some prog flourishes along with that blasting rhythm section of Chris Bentley (drums) and Dan Laffar (bass). On the strength of A P O R I A it will certainly be worth checking out at BOA, make sure to pick up this record before though so you can sing along! 7/10

The Bleeding - Rise Into Nothing (Self Released)

A little late on this one but too good to ignore, London death metal destroyers The Bleeding follow up their 2019 album Morbid Prophecy with this new EP Rise Into Nothing, this is another odds n sods release much like the Fury record i reviewed yesterday, putting a new single with a remix, some demo and live tracks for a complete experience. Rise Into Nothing itself peels away the skin with the blistering riffs and frantic dumming, it's thrashy with the frequent shifts in the riffs allowing the special guest vocals of Hellripper's James McBain to make their mark as the song rages past in a blur of anthemic death/thrash. A hell of a way to introduce themselves but there's more with the remix of Hammer Of Penance feeling a bit more feisty than the original, toning down the bass for a much more well rounded sound and making the  big thrash bounce in the middle sound much more impressive. 

The second remix is of Morbid Prophecy which gets a 'raw' mix and thus is more ferocious than the original, as if it was on one of those traded tapes from the glory days of thrash/death metal. The demo remix of Sadistic Saviour has the same frenetic aggressive sound. All of these are clear reminders of what The Bleeding can do in a studio but the final three tracks will jog the memory of anyone who has seen them live (and still has the bruises). Though in most venues the sound isn't as clear as it is here. Rise Into Nothing is a way of The Bleeding re-introducing themselves just as shows start to come back. It's a feast of nasty death/thrash. 8/10 

Vessel - Behind The Walls (Golden Robot Records)

Based in Tel Aviv Vessel have a two Brazilian members Bruno V. Passy (vocals) and Mark ‘Deadfish’ Preis (bass) a Spanish guitarist in Ariel Maman and Mor Harpazi a drummer from Israel. Behind The Walls is their debut EP and is heavily inspired by the bands love of classic metal bands such as Priest, W.A.S.P and Dio. If you read the info about this band you do get a feeling that they are a little fanatical about True Metal in the same po-faced way Joey DeMaio is deciding that they will bring back heavy metal to its glory days (the 80's folks). Now often this sort of resolute commitment lends itself to a very middle of the road NWOBHM, but Vessel bring a little bit of American flair as Shape Of The Devil is a dose of Southern blues that is a little out of place and Overdrive is from the sleazy strip. It's only five songs long but you get enough of an impression of what Vessel are all about from this EP, behind these walls is classic metal, but nothing too taxing. 6/10

I Abyssick - Ashes Enthroned (Sleazsy Rider)

Coming from Athens, Greece I Abyssick are dark metal band who draw inspiration from acts such as Evergrey, Paradise Lost and Moonspell. Ashes Enthroned is their debut album and it's got a rich down-tuned groove throughout it delivered by band main man Constantin Maris' guitar and his powerful baritone voice, similar to that of Tom S Englund. He's joined by co-founding member Aggelos Seaito on drums along with guitarist George Petropoulos and bassist Makis Sel fleshing out the four piece. Ashes Enthroned is a record that sticks readily to its dark and gothic influences tracks such as Mankind? Having propulsive drummer behind a mid-paced muscular riff and a big chorus. 

There's also some extreme metal touches given by guest vocalists from Mortal Torment and Desert Near The End who bring some roars and growls to the heavier edged tracks such as Swept Away and At The Edge Of Life. It's a decent enough record but as with a lot of dark, gothic records the music does tend to repeat a little with a downtempo atmosphere throughout. Though the Into The Great Unknown really enforces those Evergrey influences with it's shifting style and melodic edge, it's the best track on the album in my opinion. As a debut Ashes Enthroned is strong enough to generate interest in I Abyssick as a band. If you're a fan of the bands mentioned previously I suggest checking out I Abyssick. 7/10