Reviews: Elimination, TheCityIsOurs, Circa Survive, AFM Compilation (Reviews By Paul Hutchings & Matt Bladen]

Elimination – Echoes Of The Abyss (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]

Sidestepping the clouds thrown up by the race to the top flight of the UK thrash league, Suffolk’s Elimination have calmly gone about their business. Their return in 2017 with Neil Stevens now flanked by dual guitarists David Hill and Leigh Rumsby was unspectacular but the band threw the Of Gods and Beasts EP out in the middle of 2020, and suddenly thrash fans took notice. 

That EP was merely a warning shot. Echoes Of The Abyss is possibly the UK thrash album of 2021. Retaining the feel and grit of the band’s previous albums, it’s a well-crafted, thoughtful and above all enjoyable record that improves on every listen. Disciples Of The Beast which opens the album is majestic, the slower paced tempo giving way to more routine thrash with a savage riff that kicks off the body of the song. Stevens’s gravel throated roars work in harmony with the band’s aggressive style, the dual guitars singing in synchronised harmony. 

Most of the album follows the thrashers blueprint which I don’t see as a huge issue; This Is War is explosive whilst the short sharp shock of Victims By Design sits neatly in the middle, hiding a hook that lingers long in the memory. The tracks are fresh, visceral and get the head nodding in all the right places.

Like Might Of Cygnus on Shrapnel’s Palace Of The Insane last year, Echoes Of The Abyss holds one final ace in the form of final song Infernal. It’s a monstrous track, over ten minutes long. Some cynics may say that Elimination are looking for the Metallica masterpiece here, but I take each song on its own merits. Whilst any thrash band of this generation has roots deep in those ‘godfather’ bands, you can surely appreciate Infernal for what it is – a fine track that allows the band to conclude one of the albums of the year in fine style. 9/10

Circa Survive - A Dream About Love (Rise Records) [Matt Bladen]

Circa Survive are a progressive, post-hardcore band from Seattle and for 17 years they have been part of their own niche musically. They are very much about survival especially in the few years since their last album in 2017, trying to navigate the political turmoil of the country while singer Anthony Green fought his own battle with his Heroin relapse and his recovery. He has used the bands Patreon to create individual songs, his work ethic keeping him focussed on something. However in the last year where much of the band spent time away from each other isolated, they faced their toughest challenges, due to the inability to create together they focussed on their Pateron but also set about creating this EP, which details the struggles of the band.

Imposter Syndrome deals with Green's addiction and it's a poignant, offering as Green reassessed his relationship with songwriting as an outlet and the entire band learned to ease off the gas a little focussing on themselves and as such the creation of this EP and the songs themselves benefit from the space and deft touch they have been given. This EP feels esoteric in places, Even Better is a throbbing piece of electronica, while Gone For Good is atmospheric shoegazing all have that unique vocal delivery from Green, he imbues the songs with a emotive style that still sits in the members Emo roots. If this is the beginning of a new more focussed, chilled out era for Circa Survive then I for one welcome it as A Dream About Love is an album from a band with a renewed focus. 7/10

TheCityIsOurs – Coma (Arising Empire) [Matt Bladen]

Following a period of uncertainty after their previous vocalist left the band, London modern metal crew TheCityIsOurs return to the fray with new singer Oli Duncanson a long-time friend of the band, he slots in perfectly with co-vocalist/guitarist Mikey Page, once again completing the bands harsh/clean vocals style. Coma is the bands second album and it’s the typical sort of release you’d want from Arising Empire, poppy hooks at odds with heavy post-hardcore riffs, each chorus ringing with a tinge of emo while the songs have distorted grooves, and some syncopated leads all while the symphonic/electronic elements buzz in the background. 

The five piece are on form here definitely producing a record that will definitely excite their fans, though it’s drawn from loss, the songs such as riffers Death Of Me, Dangerous, Body Count and even the more melodic, ballad offerings like So Sad all have a positivity to them, though with a dark concept surrounding them. Produced by Oz Craggs and Ermin Hamidovic who have credits with bands such as Neck Deep and Architects between them Coma doesn’t sleep easy. It’s brimming with vitality and will get fans of this modern sound excited for sure. 7/10

25 Years Metal Addiction - The Rare & The Unreleased (AFM Records) [Paul Hutchings]

This compilation does what it says on the tin. Celebrating 25 years of AFM Records, the label has pulled together a rather handsome feast from its archives, with a double album of tracks from bands on the label whose songs were either unpublished or only available as country-exclusive editions. Alongside established big hitters like UDO, Firewind and Lordi we find less well known or underrated outfits like Serious Black, Solution .45 and Shakra. 

In the main, it’s driving heavy metal with a decent production quality. It certainly doesn’t sit in the extreme camp, but it’s most definitely pleasing enough heavy metal, with a drift into the melodic realm at times and an album that would be a pleasing companion on a road trip. Whether compilation albums in an era of streaming services are something of a blast from the past is debatable, but there is sufficient here to make it worth a deviation. 7/10