EMIL'S DEEP UNDERGROUND RECOS (part IX)
New(er) Trends in Metal ... Edition
Music is a highly subjective matter. Rock/metal throughout its evolution have generated a myriad of styles, many times crossing over its own sub-genres and even outside its genres. Throughout the years, some styles made impact more than others, traditional forms made returns, scenes went niche, others created divide between the genre's enthusiasts. Reaching a higher point of diversity, today's rock/metal underground continues to grow and evolve. The following ten titles are a small representation of the genre's more recent evolution, showcasing some of the more modern trends, which, in my opinion, blend well with the traditional. Enjoy the music.
ICESTORM
Saga
3/1/2019
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
What initially started back in 2006 as a band playing mostly power metal cover songs, Icestorm, released their third full-length album, "Saga". Reaching a higher level of maturity and musicianship, the Catalan act delivers twelve outstanding tracks, consciously blurring the lines between sub-genres, stylistically crossing over various extreme trends. Intoned in English and Catalan. Be aware: the (ice)storm is here!
MONOCHROMATIC BLACK
Pneuma
5/3/2019
Long Island, NY, USA
Great debut effort by the new (established in January 2018), female fronted, New York act, Monochromatic Black. The band combines their progressive and hardcore roots with melodic extreme metal, resulting in beautifully textured soundscapes, brutally disrupted by sheer aggression. The outfit's vocalist, Tanya Beickert, delivers intense growls, flawlessly transitioning to lyrical, clean vocal passages. A very promising debut from a band with great potential.
SENSORY AMUSIA
In Extremis
5/18/2019
Perth, Australia
Active since 2010, the extreme metal, western Australian act, delivers their third effort to date, aptly titled, "In Extremis". An absolutely crushing blend of de-tuned guitar riffs, relentless drumming and aggressive vocals, "In Extremis" is a raw and heavy concept EP about dealing with the fragile line between life and death. On this release, Sensory Amusia crosses over once again, the boundaries between technical death metal and rhythmic extreme hardcore.
CORSAIR
Content With The Chaos
5/1/2019
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Initially founded in 2006, and recently resurrected, in 2017, the Minneapolis self-billed as an adventure metal outfit, Corsair, delivers a blend of extreme metal via their (re)debut effort, "Content With The Chaos", released at the beginning of May 2019. A thematically dark album with a modern extreme sound, the album mixes doom metal elements with chaotic aggression. A style which listeners I'm sure will be content with.
FOREVER STILL
Breath In Colors
3/29/2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
The sophomore effort, "Breath In Colors", from the female fronted, Danish alternative metal act, formed in 2010, delivers quality modern metal with its untamed female lead vocals and haunting melodies. Heavier and more epic than its predecessor, this conceptual effort clearly showcases Forever Still's evolution in songwriting and musical/technical abilities. FFO: In This Moment, Halestorm, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, etc.
ALL THINGS FALLEN
All Things Fallen
5/1/2019
Borås, Sweden
Great debut effort from the Swedish progressive metallers, All Things Fallen, a project put together by Markus Sigfridsson, and composed of metal scene veterans. Formed as a band in 2015, the trio independently released their self-titled debut, constructed of seven very well written and produced melodic progressive metal tracks. The strong material is sure to please all fans of progressive metal and beyond.
PILLARS OF AUTUMN
The Masquerade
5/31/2019
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pillars of Autumn is a five piece technical deathcore band based out of Toronto Ontario Canada, founded in 2013. The band blends 2010s style deathcore into modern deathcore providing brutal riffs, heavy breakdowns and complex guitar solos, accompanied by ambient and symphonic elements all whilst telling a story with their concept driven albums. The Masquerade: story of a girl, willing to sacrifice her free will to The Masquerade ... and sacrifice everything to get it back ...
SEKHMET
Reminisence
5/27/2019
Le Havre, France
Sekhmet is an extreme metal band founded in Le Havre, France in 2008. Its music mixes traditional and modern metal. Home recorded, "Reminiscence", the bands first full-length album, is yet another viable testament to how far the metal underground have reached, blending older traditions with fresh sounds, setting a high trajectory into the future realms of extreme metal. From sheer brutality to lyrical melody, Sekhmet delivers it all via the twelve outstanding tracks that sum "Reminisce". Highly recommended!
EUPHORIA Ω
Nanotech
4/5/2019
Detroit, Michigan, USA
"Nanotech" is the sophomore full-length release by the motor city Sci-Fi thrash metal outfit, Euphoria Ω, formed in 2016. Heavily influenced by bands such as Death, Metallica, Sepultura, Slayer, Vio-lence, Sadus, Voivod, Vektor, Fear Factory, etc, Euphoria Ω absorbs inspiration from all sorts of Sci-Fi and Cyberpunk related media and dishes it out in an auditory form that they hope helps paint a picture of a retro-futuristic dystopian world that was said to take place in our modern era.
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
Root Of All Evil
4/27/2019
Somerville, New Jersey
Know Your Enemy is an energetic, original hard rock band that generates a blues influenced alternative metal style and combines a rock - soul musical soundtrack, modern punk - metal vocals with a twist of hip - hop. The band released their debut EP, "Heal The Wound" in 2015. Their current offering, "Root Of All Evil", showcases influences derived from life experiences, the people around them, bands and artists such as Metallica, Tool, Rage Against The Machine, Rush, Jimi Hendrix, He Is Legend and Black Sabbath. Groovy!
© 2019 by Emil Chiru
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