Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genres: Doom, Metalcore
Label: Independent

Yeah, I said it. I don’t know exactly if I mean it, but this wicked fucking disc has elements of metalcore in it. Picture traditional doom in the ways of Black Sabbath, Orange Goblin, and the like mixed with a touch of Killswitch Engage.
But I can’t even quantify how much KSE is in it. It’s an odd fucking listen.
And I love it!
But I don’t understand it. This is going to have to take some serious repeat listening.
If you want your doom to make you wonder if it is in fact doom and not doomcore or whatever, get some Mordant Soul in your CD player. Cuz wow.
9.5 out of 10.

Mordant Soul on MySpace.

NOTE: This is an old review, moved here from the Funeral Rain Zine MySpace. Mordant Soul have unfortunately split up since it was first posted back in December 2009.

Genres: Metalcore, Metallic Hardcore, Progressive Metalcore
Label: Listenable Records

A brutal beatdown of extremely talented proportions, The Eyes of a Traitor’s Breathless is a metallic hardcore assault on the senses. Well, assault on one sense at least. Auditory receptors will become scarred with the high volume and repetitive listening that this album will cause.
Sing-along parts that are not full of whiny vocals, but rather strong emotive ones are coupled with screams that sound like come from the soul, not the lungs. Simple guitar parts are followed by fingerburners with great solos and killer blasts from the drum kit. In other words, it’s progressive metalcore, pushing the often stale genre to a new height, seeming to take what Killswitch Engage and their contemporaries all brought to the table and combining it into something else to make it their own.
I definitely recommend getting this into your collection.
8.5 out of 10.

The Eyes of a Traitor on MySpace.

Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Independent

The Netherlands are a hotbed of metal activity that for whatever reason seems to escape the view of a lot of people. Thankfully, some bands are proactive in getting their names out there, and Posthuman are one of those bands. They emailed me asking if I wanted to do up a review of their new, independently released album.
And this album is awesome. It reminds me a lot of Swedish melodeath, but at the same time has a different flavor. It’s nice and original, a fast moving concept about the end of humanity, the destruction of the world at our own hands, and the rebuilding just to go back to our old ways.
I’m definitely liking what I hear, and if you’re into melodic death you’ll probably like these guys too.
7.5 out of 10.

Posthuman on MySpace.

Restricted Release, in cooperation with Angle Side Side, today confirms October 12 as the North American release date for Awaken, the full-length debut from Rhode Island-based The Empire Shall Fall. Awaken is the first metal album from vocalist Jesse David Leach since his departure from Killswitch Engage.

Recorded in 2009, Awaken was originally available for physical purchase via direct band merchandise outlets. Through the new cooperation, the album will now be accessible via proper retail outlets throughout North America. “We all couldn’t be more than happy that this record has gained enough attention to make it to this level of exposure,” comments Leach. “We are proud that our DIY band and our self produced/released record has the potential to reach so many more listeners. Our hope is that a great deal of people will be able to see the passion and message we carry with our music. Fight the good fight!”

Produced by guitarist Marcus De Lisle and mixed by Sean Small, Awaken has already received significant media attention. Hails & Horns Magazine calls it “a powerhouse of a record, crackling with intensity.” Popular online site The PRP gave the record a 4 out of 5 rating, noting it as “a vast arsenal of aural weaponry.” Terrorizer Magazine applauded the album, embracing Leach’s “jagged, broken-glass shrieks” and called it “more than a welcomed return.” The album has also generated substantial support from college and commercial specialty radio programs across the country. As part of an early radio campaign, Awaken peaked on FMQB/Friday Morning Quarterback’s metal chart at position 7 and impressed CMJ/College Music Journal stations peaking at position 20 on the tip magazine’s weekly metal chart.

Formed in 2008, The Empire Shall Fall‘s eclectic sound is rooted in metal/hardcore; the band citing luminaries At The Gates, Meshuggah, and Edge of Sanity as major inspiration. The band, featuring guitarists Jake Davenport and De Lisle, bassist Nick Sollecito, drummer Jeff Pitts, and Leach, also draw heavily from their combined interests in jazz, punk, and experimental music. The band’s lyrics are fueled by political outrage; a passion that forms the backbone of the band and sets them apart from their peers.

The Empire Shall Fall are expected to announce a series of new live shows to support the retail release of Awaken. In the meantime the band has already started writing material for their second album which they plan to release in early 2011. Sollecito notes, “our new material is definitely a step up from our previous stuff. We are really excited about it and can’t wait till we hit the studio to get it all together.

Tracklisting:
1. Awaken
2. Lords of War
3. Voices Forming Weapons
4. Choir of Angels
5. We The People
6. These Colors Bleed
7. Our Own
8. The Kingdom

Genres: Metalcore, Thrash
Label: Independent

I’m beginning to think that the whiny Bullet for my Valentine metalcore may be dead. Because although this album is definitely mostly ‘core, it ain’t whiny in the least. In fact, it’s thrashy as hell, which is probably one of the least whiney metal genres out there.
I’ll be honest, I know nothing of this band, and that kind of adds to my enjoyment. Listening to this album is like opening presents on Christmas; you don’t know what you’re going to get, and if you have cool relatives, you don’t even know what you should expect. The Empire Shall Fall are those cool relatives. They’re dropping thrash riffs with metalcore breakdowns and deathy vocals right beside some very powerful singing. Instrument-wise, this band knows their shit. They’ve obviously been playing for awhile and have diverse influences, shown in the raw speed and technicality of some of the songs, but also in the fact that they can use tech elements with traditional elements and make it work. They can write SONGS, not riff tapes with vocals, which is a breath of fresh air.
Just found out, right before I’m posting this, that Jesse Leach is the vocalist (would explain the familiarity). If you don’t know who that is, you need a fucking history lesson.
Favourite tracks are “Lords of War”, “Voices Forming Weapons”, and the title track.
8 out of 10.

The Empire Shall Fall on MySpace.