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Boundaries – Yearning: The Unbeautiful After (Sumerian Records) [Matt Bladen]

Get that running man ready as Boundaries love a breakdown, on there opening track I count four separate ones after the pubishing of the main body of the track where the phrase “I Just Want To See You Suffer” is screamed right in your face.

They’re deathcore that takes no prisoners but there’s more to it as this record carries with it a “state of perpetual mourning” as due to it being inspired by and in tribute to friends whose lives had been taken by an accident.

The brutality of existence fuels this record so the band locked down in the studio with producer Drew Fulk (Knocked Loose, Fit For A King), to make their most focussed and ferocious album yet. A record without compromise then, not looking for radio play but to define themselves as one of the hardest hitting bands in their genre.

There are moments of clarity where clean vocals are used however it’s mostly absolutely crushing start stop riffs, industrial dissonance, flashes of metallic hardcore (Unequal Whole), inhuman blastbeats, ultra aggressive vocal shouts from vocalist Matthew McDougal who’s joined by Landon Tewers of The Plot In You and Make Them Suffer on two tracks.

Yearning: The Unbeautiful After, preaches catharsis through brutality, suffocating heaviness throughout Boundaries are monstrous on album four. 7/10

Haken – In A Fever Dream (InsideOutMusic) [Alex Swift]

Haken have been through a lot of changes of late. A few years ago, the bands keyboardist Diego Tejeida parted ways with the band, citing creative differences. Then, last year, for reasons that remain elusive, bassist Conner Green and guitarist Charles Griffiths left, pairing the prog-outfit back to a four piece, and forcing them to cancel every one of their tour dates. It’s been three years since the enormously ambitious Fauna. Even longer since the brilliant companion albums of Vector and Virus. The question now is, how does the act adapt to the changes that they’ve endured, on their new EP?

Let’s begin with the positives – this project see’s the band experimenting further with the electronic elements that have been a core part of their sound since Affinity. There is a distinct effort to ‘test the waters’, as they meld their distinctive soaring melodies with forceful instrumental backdrops. While some fans will be saddened by the absence of an album at this time, a shorter transitional piece was definitely the most logical move the quartet could make at this stage in their careers. This is Haken in a state of Flux. “I am shedding skin. I let go and I learn to breathe. I am at the end of my fever dream” Ross Jennings sings during the emotional climax of the album. Reinvention always entails a transitionary process. And yet, for Haken, the challenges of this are on stark display.

The most striking element from the opening title track is that Haken have undoubtedly lost elements in their sound. That’s to be expected following the loss of members. However, the empty space that’s left is not filled with anything satisfying. Whereas once you could rarely predict the direction that the bands compositions would take, this one feels hollow, and stagnant. The contrast between the mellow and aggressive sections are uninspired, following the playbook of a million alt-metal bands that have come before them. There is little space for subtlety or experimentation, in what proves a pale imitation of the band’s sound.

Then there’s the issue of how the electronic elements are incorporated. Eclipsed By You and Bleeding Sky are significantly more thought provoking then the opener, with the later bearing a fascinating progression that feels straight from the Affinity-era playbook. The issue, however, lies in the incredibly out-of-focus production. The problem with so much of this EP is not that it represents a band finding their feet after a turbulent period. Rather, its creators seem afraid to commit to any of the interesting ideas that are present. Intriguing musical concepts are either half-committed to before being abandoned, or else buried beneath an avalanche of noise. Its incredibly frustrating coming from a band who have never previously been afraid to challenge themselves or the listener.

As far as prog metal is concerned, Haken have earned the right to be held in high regard by myself, and by their fans. I’ve alluded to the possibility that this isn’t the end for the outfit, and that this is merely a deeply a reflection of growing pains. These musicians have already committed themselves to future projects. If that is indeed the case, then they must set a direction that sees them harnessing their unique songwriting and performance skills, and committing to their chosen creative direction with zeal. It’s certainly possible that I will reflect on A Fever Dream as a odd yet crucial juncture. Until Haken can prove that to me, however, this will remain a disappointing nadir in an otherwise impressive discography . 4/10

Cinder Well – A Blooming Body (Hen House Studios) [Mark Young]

Sometimes the boss likes to throw me a curve ball, I’m sure he does it just to see if I can appreciate the other side of the musical coin. He does this by sending me something that is (by my own admission) so far removed from the standard stuff I listen to; I don’t know how to approach it. In any event, I want to give A Blooming Body a fair crack, and I will.

So, just in case you don’t know who or what Cinder Well is: Step forward Amelia Baker, an American multi-instrumentalist who can write and perform songs of a haunting beauty in much the same way as you or I can breathe the air around us. As in, naturally. Amelia handles nearly all of the instruments present on this, and it’s a collection of songs that stay with you after the final notes are played out. In trying to give you an idea of what they sound like, none of them sound like the others, apart from the voice and the way its deployed on here. Its described as Americana, cinematic folk, doom but played in a way that feels unique to the artist themselves. It certainly doesn’t sound like the folk that springs to my mind, which is a good thing in all honesty.

A Blooming Body is like a season of your favourite programme. There is the start, where it establishes itself and either makes you want to see what happens next or switch off. Each of the songs takes you on a journey, telling a story, sometimes dark in tone other times in bright textures. The constant in each case is Amelia’s voice. It has this quality to it, a rich fabric which doesn’t rely on vocal gymnastics to make the material sing. Is it something that I could drive to work on? No, definitely not but then Its not built for that, at least from my perspective. It’s also something that I can appreciate the beauty of, and why as an artist Amelia is held in such high regard. Taking the closing moments of Ashes for example, the song has been a soft and gentle exercise until it decides that discord is the way forward. Elsewhere there is some fabulous guitar playing, passages that would be amazing to play and would surely ease your mind.

So, now for a score. Generally accompanying press overegg an artists release, but that is not the case here. It is as good as its made out to be, and as long as this sits within your wheelhouse of musical interest then it’s a straight up must have. If cinematic arrangements are your thing, then you should sidle on over to this and check it out. 8/10

PS – Check out the theme to Small Prophets that was broadcast earlier this year on the BBC. Cinder Well did the score for that too.

Droner – Nuclear Waster (Doomsayer Records) [Spike]

Sometimes you don’t want a pristine, perfectly engineered record. You want something that sounds like it was recorded in a damp cellar with the amplifiers turned up until the walls start sweating. London’s Droner deliver exactly that on their second album, Nuclear Waster. It’s a massive, 17-track trek through sludge, doom, and grunge that demands you sit back and let it grind its way through.

I missed their debut, but after spending time with this record, I’m definitely going back to check it out. What I like right off the bat is that they don’t take themselves too seriously. The opener, Weed, starts with a laugh before dropping into a heavy, rumbling riff. It sets a great tone. They’re having fun with the noise, even when the sound itself is heavy enough to crush a car.

The album builds a huge, filthy atmosphere across its long runtime. Songs like All It Took, Medicine, and Tell Me Something have a real grunge-laden drag to them. The vocals are haunting and raw, sitting right in the middle of the distortion rather than floating polished over the top. It’s unvarnished, a bit rough around the edges, and honestly, it works so much better because of that lack of high-end gloss.

What’s interesting here is how they show you their building blocks. Towards the end of the 17 tracks, you get an acoustic version of Hear What You Want. Stripping away the massive fuzz pedals feels like the band showing their workings, proving that underneath all that weight, there are solid, memorable songs.

Then they throw in a couple of unexpected covers to close things out—The Specials AKA’s What I Like Most About You and Dawn Penn’s No No No. It shouldn’t work on a sludge doom record, but somehow it completely fits their laid-back, DIY ethos.

Nuclear Waster isn’t a quick or easy background listen. It’s a long, heavy grind that rewards you for putting the time in. If you like your doom raw, noisy, and full of character, this is well worth taking for a spin. 8/10

Alex Terrible, frontman of Russian deathcore juggernauts Slaughter To Prevail, has unveiled his latest vocal cover, this time taking on Survivor's iconic 1982 anthem "Eye Of The Tiger." The classic rock staple has been reimagined countless times over the decades across a wide range of genres, but Terrible puts his own unmistakable stamp on the … Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based slamming brutal death metal unit Disfigured Depravity premieres his new single titled "Monarch of Putrefaction", streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below. The song sees Marvin Ruiz (Devourment, Stabbing, Nephalim Grinder) handling the instrumentals, with Josh Welshman (Defeated Sanity) delivering a guest… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com

Album Review: Hulder – Verbolgen

Reviewed by Oli Gonzalez

Black metal. Many of the great bands around begin life in the same way. One creative genius begins project. Project gathers momentum and said creative genius trusts others to share in their vision. Before you know it, what started as an idea eventually becomes a live band! Take Saor, Thy Light, Blackbraid, or even Gallowbraid after their headline performance at this year’s Fortress Festival. A sentence once thought impossible to write. North America’s Hulder follows this pattern, but is anything but cookie cutter nor cliche! Beginning life in the heartlands of Belgium, the project was conceived and crafted by multi-instrumentalist Marz, blending traditional black metal with haunting Pagan mysticism and harrowing medieval melody. Attendees at this year’s Samhain Antwerp (read about it here) would have bore witness to the blistering force that is Hulder’s live ritual! Now Hulder are ready to share “Verbolgen”, the next stage in their evolution.

The album opens with a little instrumental in the shape of ‘Drie Raven’. With the austere strings and woodwind playing over the pulsating percussive foundations, this was designed to be as ominous as it is eerie. Hulder have prided themselves on creating a darkened medieval vibe within their music, and they have this in absolute bucket loads here! Within this darkness, there’s something oddly relaxing about this. Yet you can’t get too comfortable as we’re launched into the meat and potatoes of the album, beginning with ‘The Crowning’. Like a snake, the song slithers and bends through a slower more gradual opening. Despite the slower pace, the densely layered wall of sound and infernal atmosphere are impossible to ignore. It feels as though they’re holding back, building to something greater. Then like a viper, they strike! The pace quickens sharply and the wall of sound becomes much thicker, hellish, underpinned by an avalanche of blast beats! The vocals of Marz holding the venom and bite though in a concoction of absolutely fierce shrieks and growls!

Hulder seem comfortable and composed, staying in this pattern for the next few songs. Something is brewing, slowly coming to temperature. It’s really during ‘…And We Shall Sing’ when we see things coming to the boil. The intensity raised, the pace dynamic, yet there’s still a delightfully warm undertone and aesthetic quality to the sound. This is driven largely by the guitars which are given more license to roam whilst the drums and bass hold down the poisoned heartbeat of the band.

The band lean more into their medieval folk roots during the outset to ‘In Blood And In Earth’, before the song is packed out with more guitar driven anthems. No silly effects or overreliance on synths. Just warm distorted riffs provided a traditional feel but with modern production. The best of both worlds, right? If the guitars were given license to roam before, they can unleash unmitigated hell during a stupendous solo during ‘Den Nacht Zijn Lied’…honestly, you’ll be rewinding and re-listening to this many many times!

Now for something very different! ‘Zonnesteen’. They may have leaned into their medieval folk roots earlier. Here, they fully embrace them in a ballad that’s more of a ritual and ode to their ancestors! Characterised by the rich intertwining melodies from the primitive percussion instruments, acoustic strings, and contrasting vocal harmonies, this is a song that would seem at home on a Wardruna or Heilung album, yet feels completely on brand for Hulder.

It’s hard to stand out in the vast vast world of black metal. Where many fail to sound different whilst remaining authentic, Hulder revel in this task in an effort that feels as genuine as it is believable. “Verbolgen” is a statement. Hulder are a sleeping giant soon to wake up and lay waste to the world of black metal!

For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

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EP Review: Suffer – Soul From Flesh

Reviewed by Oli Gonzalez

It’s safe to say that the UK underground metal scene is in a healthy state. Especially when you examine Suffer, the bruising deathcore force from Wolverhampton! Beginning life in 2018, they’ve toured extensively in their home country, citing seasoned acts such as Decapitated and Signs Of The Swarm as bands they’ve supported. They’re no strangers to the European circuit either, and will continue to spread their wings across the continent this summer with their names on festival posters in Germany and Belgium. They’ll return to Europe riding the momentum of their latest 5 track opus “Soul From Flesh”. Let me tell you, Europe better be ready!

We got a taste of their latest EP when they released unmitigated levels of carnage with the devastating ‘Pendulum Of Vengeance’ earlier this year! We’ve never doubted their ability to drop the hammer and unleash wave after wave of brutality. Though this track – and the rest of the EP – demonstrates their ability to blend crushing heaviness with refined technicality and more sophisticated compositional skills than the genre would normally dictate. Some bands fall into the trap of throwing slam after slam at you hodge-podge style without any consideration for build and progression, and try to slap the label of ‘heavy’ on it.

The end product being something void of real conviction. Instead, Suffer are able to release this primitive aggression slowly and in controlled bursts, demonstrating maturity and an understanding of human psychology. Additionally, they intelligently deploy synths and other background tracks to dictate the austere mood and sense of urgency. ‘Desolated Dreams’ provides perhaps the best example of this, taking a play from Lorna Shore’s books by creating a symphonic undertone to proceedings within a song that takes on a more fluid and non-canonical song structure. This is only enhanced with the dissonant and unsettling distorted guitar passages. All this creates tension that can finally be released in cathartic explosions, like in the climax to ‘Self Immolation’, with a breakdown so immense it could topple buildings!

Do the tracks run the risk of sounding a little too similar to one another? Perhaps. However, at only five tracks or twenty minutes (give or take), “Soul From Flesh” gives a bite size easy-to-ingest sample of their undeniable potential. Fans of Whitechapel and Lorna Shore will be more than satiated with this rather delicious offering!

For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

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But he remained quiet on the ongoing speculation

Source

Miss May I drop new single and announce album.

Banks Arcade tap into their dark side.

A malfunctioning cannon was to blame for the scary moment. Continue reading…

This week’s “Dark Wave” featured music by Soft Cell, Xmal Deutschland, Manufacture, Public Image Ltd., Ministry, Christian Death, Virgin Prunes, The Creatures and more.

The post Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Matt Sebastian (8/2/26) appeared first on Slicing Up Eyeballs.