Flaw - Divided We Fall

Flaw - Divided We Fall

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 25, 2016

Kentuckians, Flaw, have always been a bit different than most in the rock scene, breaking through at the end of the nu-metal era, they brought chugging riffs and intense vocals with a more positive, uplifting feel.  Then, seemingly as quickly as they exploded on to the scene, they were gone.  Only four years after being signed to Universal Records, they were dropped, and eventually broke up. Struggling for years with membership changes, rumors of internal strife, and new projects, one could say that the last decade or so has been a trying time for the group.  But, as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait and the guys in Flaw have waited over a decade, paying their dues, and finally finding their way. Without further ado, Flaw has announced the release of their fourth studio album, Divided We Fall on August 19, 2016 courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.

The first track on Divided We Fall, “Fed Up”, is reminiscent of their nu-metal heyday; bursting with powerful, meaningful lyrics.  While in some ways going backwards is a bit disappointing, “Fed Up” is simply the first course of the Divided We Fall meal, meant to awaken fan’s palates to what is to come in the next 10 tracks.  

Divided We Fall features some of the heaviest material Flaw has ever recorded, with absolutely brutal tracks “Choices” and “Do You Remember” demonstrating the bands growth as musicians. The bands renewed focus, maturity, and energy is especially apparent in tracks “Heal”, “When You Grieve”, and their newest single “Live and Breathe”, which are expressive and brimming with raw human emotion. After an extremely tempestuous decade fans may be a bit hesitant or this may very well be that musical moment they’ve been waiting for, either way, everything about Divided We Fall is tight, the sound much more mature, heavy, even more emotional, and meaningful.  Fans should definitely grab a copy of Divided We Fall in August; it is unquestionably worth a listen.

Silvertung - Out of the Box

Silvertung - Out of the Box

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 25, 2016

Silvertung, hailing from Maryland, released their third album and first EP, Out of the Box, on July 8, 2016 courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  The band’s singles “Face the Music” and “Devil’s Advocate” have been making their way up the national charts, giving some of the top national acts a run for their money.

Out of the Box is not in any way confused by what it is and was meant to be, straight forward, in your face rock from start to finish.  Tracks “Face the Music” and chart making single thumper “Devil’s Advocate” are any stadium anthem, fist pumping, hard rock lover’s dream come true; explosive and hard hitting.  Fans of Theory of a Deadman, Sixx AM, Shinedown, and even Guns N Roses will find Out of the Box quite gratifying.

Silvertung clearly gave this album their all.  Out of the Box’s experimentation with different sounds and styles will surely earn the self-proclaimed underground rockers some new fans and notoriety on mainstream radio.  By the end of Out of the Box fans will know who Silvertung is and with the brevity of the six track EP, fans will be left wanting….demanding more.

(hed) p.e. - Forever!

(hed) p.e. - Forever!

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 18, 2016

After a little more than two decades, nine albums, and a some lineup changes, one may think a band may be a bit out of touch or at the very least, running on fumes, but (hed) p.e.’s upcoming, release entitled Forever!, demonstrates that those are quite simply meaningless statistics with no real significance or quite simply put… bullshit.  Forever!, not for the faint of heart, will take listeners by storm; blending musical styles from punk to reggae effortlessly and with the energy fans expect from (hed) p.e.  Forever! delivers scorcher after scorcher and fans won’t be able to get enough.   

“Live” and “Pay Me”, the first and second tracks on Forever!, will evoke pleasant memories of why (hed) p.e. are the bringers of the G-Punk, gangster rap and punk for those less familiar.  After the reintroductions, listeners will have their brains slammed by the albums third track, “Closer”, which brings a sick mix of catchy riffs, dope lyrics, and a medley of genres from reggae to rock. Speaking of genre blending, the transition from raw, dirt punk in “Waste” to “Jahknow’s”, heavy groove, afro beat reggae is FLAWLESS.   

Heavily afro-reggae influenced tracks like “Always” and the closer “Ganja” may seem unusual at first, such a high energy album to close out so laid back, but this isn’t unfamiliar territory for (hed) p.e., they’ve journeyed to the chill in the past with tracks such as “The Meadow” on their album Broke (2000).  Not to mention listeners will  appreciate finally being able to catch their breath after bouncing off the walls for the majority of the album.

Basically, Forever! plays out like an action movie, starting with the exposition (a reminder of who (hed) p.e.), then there is rising action (adding reggae to the rap/rock mix), the climax (transitioning from raw punk to groove afro beats), then falling action (slowing it down a bit), and finally the dénouement (the conclusion to the story) or in lame man’s terms before listeners know what hit them, they’re balls deep in some banging beats, killer riffs, and sleek, yet vicious lyrics and then the band slows it down a bit so listeners can exhale.

Despite the extreme shifts in musical styles from track to track, Forever! maintains infectious energy from start to finish.  It isn’t until the conclusion of the album that listeners will wrap their minds around just how many genres of music they experienced and it will serve as yet another reminder of why   (hed) p.e. are the preeminent purveyors of the G-Punk.  Fans of (hed) p.e. or music lovers that are interested in discovering unique, quality fist pumping music are going to want to cop Forever! and see exactly how a band’s 10th album should sound.

Citizen Zero - State of Mind

Citizen Zero - State of Mind

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 18, 2016

Detroit natives Citizen Zero are set to release their debut studio album, State of Mind, August 12th courtesy of Wind-Up Records.  Founded in 2010 by brothers Greg, John, and Matt Dudley, the band quickly caught the ear of Kid Rock’s sound engineer, Al Sutton, who whisked them into Rustbelt Studios to record their debut EP.   In April 2012, the band was faced with the tragic death of their brother and lead guitarist, Matt Dudley.  The group was faced with the crucial decision to either dissolve or move forward with their dream.  In the face of their painful loss, they decided to carry on their dream and recruited guitarist, Sammy Boller, to fill the void, and used their music as a catalyst for healing.  Needless to say, the release of State of Mind is no small feat a long overdue achievement for a group that has overcome tragedy.  The catchy, yet uniqueness of State of Mind is proof that their dedication and perseverance paid off.

State of Mind will appeal to fans of Sound Garden, Sevendust, and Alter Bridge; not necessarily familiar but inviting.  Their debut single, “Go (Let Me Save You)” is infectious and one that will keep listeners pressing repeat over and over and over again. “Go (Let Me Save You)”  is definitely their breakout hit and a track that will be in heavy rotation on the alternative/rock radio waves, but don’t count the rest of the album out just yet. With jams such as shoulder swaying “What a Feeling” to fist pump worthy “Come Away”, everything about State of Mind is seriously gratifying and pleasing to even the most brutal critics.  For fans that can’t relate to the catchier, or pop, side of rock, there is “Save the Queen”, brimming with emotionally fueled vocals and spot on grooves by the band, “Save the Queen” will definitely be a live crowd pleaser. 

For fans of the golden era of alternative rock, a time when lyrics actually meant something, State of Mind will provide the perfect amount of nostalgia, yet remain modern and relevant.  State of Mind is a perfect combination of lyrical polish and musical grit that made alternative rock great in the 90’s and fresh, modern, technical rock music of today.  The talent of Citizen Zero is undeniable and State of Mind is just the beginning of their rise to the top.

Media Solution - The Prelude

Media Solution - The Prelude

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 18, 2016

Italy natives, Media Solution, released their latest EP entitled The Prelude in April 2016 courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  The Prelude is a seven track musical creation, brimming with anthems of dark fête that explore the more salacious characteristics of being human or simply put sex, sex, and sex…and more sex.

Perfect for fans of 5 Finger Death Punch and Fear Factor, The Prelude is nothing but pure, unadulterated ‘fuck you, I’m ready to fucking rage’ metal with no bullshit shortcomings.  From beginning to end The Prelude represents itself, just as it is, hard as nails with no apologies.  The fourth track, “Coward”, will let listeners know that Media Solution means business.  This track will hit fans harder than Mike Tyson.  The follow up track, “Turmoil” is just as heavy and will get fans in the pit or at the very least throwing their horns up.  Closing out the EP are strong jams “We Are the Kings” and “Enjoy the Ride”, both display remarkable bass and drum work, not to mention both are extremely head bang worthy.

The Prelude almost challenges fans to not want to throw a chair across the room or run full speed into a wall of death.  The boys in Media Solution weren’t messing around when they set out to bring something new to the metal establishment; The Prelude is hard, unforgiving, chaotic, abrasive, aggressive and awesome metal-punk-rock madness.

Dead Man’s Hand - Til Karma Forgets

Dead Man’s Hand - Til Karma Forgets

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on July 18, 2016

Dead Man’s Hand released their new album Til Karma Forgets in April 2016 courtesy of Pavement Entertainment.  Dead Man’s Hand got its start in the Seattle music scene in 2012, eventually relocating to Kansas City in 2013.  By 2014 the quartet would win Best New Artist in the Midwest Music Awards and 2015 heavy radio rotation and additional nominations.

The opening tracks of Til Karma Forgets are good, listenable, enjoyable, but nothing that will make listeners stop what they are doing to crank up the radio, that is until “Paint a Picture”, this is when Dead Man’s Hand begins to expose what is underneath the covers.  And what is there is really good.  “Paint a Picture” and “So What” show their ferocity and the group’s ability to bring it. The guys are straight up mosh rock, if a fan were to push a neighbor down the stairs while listening to Til Karma Forgets, the jury just may understand.

While Til Karma Forgets is not mind blowing, it will give fans just enough to keep listening.  It also sets the stage for what Dead Man’s Hand is capable of.  Dead Man’s Hand is sure to earn some new fans from Til Karma Forgets, which is well deserved.  

Betrayal - Infinite Circles

Betrayal - Infinite Circles

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on June 7, 2016

Deutschland’s own Betrayal is set to release their full length, debut album entitled, Infinite Circles, on June 17, 2016, courtesy of Transcending Records. The fellas are bringing their hardcore badassery straight to melodic death metal fans door steps with no apologies and no fucks given.  

Infinite Circles kicks off with the track “The Shell”, which immediately sets the stage that this album is going to be a ripper, straight fire, I haven’t gone from zero to hype this quick since Lamb of God’s As the Palaces Burn. “The Shell” boasts a break down so epic that it will have fans ready to smite their enemies with fervor they’ve never experienced before.  

The fourth track, “Contamination”, has a couple of slam worthy riffers and is totally worth a one person mosh pit.  Lyrically, “Contamination” is a delicious slice of the dark poetry pie. ‘Contamination, spreading from inside, enslaving the vessel…reign of the parasite…’; is just a sample  and yet stands alone, absolutely sensational.  And all this before we get to “Fighting Perdition”, which is nothing less than killer, fans must see the video on YouTube and will immediately understand why.  EPIC!  

Betrayal brings a mix of brutality and raw, heavy groove that fans of bands such as Black Dahlia Murder or Death will find satisfying and will most definitely be ready to strap in for the rest of the ride after just a couple tracks on Infinite Circles.  

The best part is that Infinite Circles is rip roaring, growl, and blast beat heavy, just as fans expect from German metal without the repetitiveness that so many bands in this genre fall victim to. The crisp squeal and shredding harmony of riffs on tracks like “Monuments” and “Order of Chaos” is exactly the way heavy shit needs be done, bludgeoning but not blunted. For fans that enjoy quality, heavy headbanging jams that make them want to chew glass while they dance,Infinite Circles is exactly the heavy dose of badass that the doctor ordered and a must listen.

Rotting Obscene - Depths of Decay

Rotting Obscene - Depths of Decay

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on June 7, 2016

Rotting Obscene is scheduled to release their full-length debut album, Depths of Decay, on June 24, 2016 courtesy of Transcending Records.  

Where should one start?  Well, as soon as Depths of Decay’s first track, “Audient Void”, starts to play, one thing is abundantly clear, Rotting Obscene values two things: musical prowess and ferocity. The first three tracks “Audient Void”, “Cataclysmic Advent” and the title track “Depths of Decay”, make ‘in your face’ so understood that unless you are Helen Keller’s ghost or a binary computer, you will be catching what Rotting Obscene is throwing down.  With crushing vocals, brutal riffs that twist and turn like sluts of sadistic pleasure, not to mention machine gun drumming,  it’s impossible to ignore their intense brutality. Other outstanding tracks on Depths of Decay include: “Abhorrent Reprisal”, “Absence of Light” and the skull crushing closer “Defacing Divinity” . Every track will prove to fans Rotting Obscene means business from the first note to the last.

Depths of Decay is not for fans of the lighter, less technical side of metal.  For those fans dedicated to their brutality and enjoy the likes of Deicide, Dying Fetus, and Gutrot, those lucky fuckers will find themselves with a hard-on so solid they may need an ice-pick to knock it down 

Depths of Decay is not for the faint of heart or the casual listener; it’s gritty and raw; it’s like a chainsaw in both ears and proceeding to thank the guy holding the chainsaw for the bloody experience. Not even once does Rotting Obscene ease up on their intensity.

For fans that love their music as hard and fast as it comes, Depths of Decay is absolutely perfect and is a must listen. For those pussies not quite ready to crush skulls, throw their fists in the air so hard they pop their shoulder out of socket, and/or give themselves whiplash from swinging their hair like a cyclone in the pit…..well they should probably go listen to Green Day because this shit is way too intense for them.

Filter - Crazy Eyes

Filter - Crazy Eyes

Written by Kelsie Lunsford for Bloodrock Media on April 13, 2016

I’ve got my reasons and my reasons are sound…. I’ve got my reasons for enjoying Filter’s newest album, Crazy Eyes and those reasons are nothing short of neu-industrial excellence. Crazy Eyes, released April 8th, has a futuristic, industrial sound; a very different approach than fans will have seen from the band in the past. 

The newest release boasts catchy and fun tracks such as “Mother E” and “Tremors”, listeners will definitely claim these two as their favorites on the album. “Nothing In My Hands” will remind fans of Muse, in a fantastically dark, euro-pop, glamorous way. For those that seek the old Filter sound, the third track, “Pride Flag” will give them what they seek and transport them back to 1999.  

Over all Crazy Eyes is a solid album; possibly the best we’ve heard from Filter. With it’s very distinct futuristic, electronic sound, it will appeal to those that are hearing Filter for the first time or fans that have followed them since the mid-1990′s.  Fans can catch Filter on their tour, “Make America Hate Again” with ORGY, Vampires Everywhere, and Death Valley Heights.

Slave I - Scriptures

Slave I - Scriptures

Written by Ken Bowden on March 22, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Initial thoughts may be why the hell does Slave I have three guitar players and what the fuck is Mandalorian Metal?! While the latter of the two contemplations may lead one to believe there will be some Star Wars related, geeky sound effects, possibly a sci-fi speech or two on Scriptures, they would be totally off base. What fans will actually encounter is nothing short of top notch, FORCE-ified metal and while their name is geeky (and we at BRM love geeky), every moment of Scriptures will make even the most jaded metal mercenary yearn for a Wall of Death.

The first track on the EP, ‘Left Hand of God’, will blast through listener’s speakers with the fury of a thousand fists, a phenomenal combination of vicious vocals and savage guitar riffs, the track sets the tone for the rest of the EP.  The middle tracks are equally tremendous, very early Black Dahlia Murder-esque, yet still unique. The last track on Scriptures, ‘End of Days’, concludes the EP perfectly, even with its title with its doom-worthy epicness.

Fans searching for something short, new, not so sweet, and epically kick ass will find themselves playing Scriptures on repeat. And will finally answer their own question of why the hell do they have three guitar players, with the obvious answer of “WHY THE FUCK SHOULDN’T THEY?!”. Bottom line, every track on Scriptures will feel like the business end of a blaster meeting listeners’ faces and with the approval of Boba Fett himself from the depths of the sarlacc pit, Scriptures is a must purchase…….like yesterday. 

Soliloquium - Absence

Soliloquium - Absence

Written by Kelsie Lunsford on March 14, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

The Swedish, melodic doom metal trio known as Soliloquium, released their album titled Absence on February 1, 2016 courtesy of Transcending Records.  Absence is a compilation of their previously released EPs, When Silence Grows Venomous, The Concept of Escape, and A Night of Burdens; featuring six original songs and two covers, ‘Forever Failure’ by Paradise Lost and ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries. The overall feel of Absence is reminiscent of hard rock of the 90’s with a doom metal twist brought by Stefan Nordstrom’s deep growl vocals. 

The first track, ‘Garden of Truculence’, opens very melodic, mellow even, listeners will be searching their pockets for their lighters, well that is until about two minutes into the song and it is time to head bang and mosh. The third track, ‘Crossroads’, kicks off with a long, powerful guttural scream by Nordstrom. ‘Crossroads’ is powerfully catchy; the clean vocals are beautifully executed, and a nice contrast to the typical screams and growls, fans will find themselves repeating this track over and over. The lengthiest track on Absence, ‘Nighttime Revelations’, is quite unique, beginning very whimsically; listeners will almost feel as though they are reliving the scene in Lord of the Rings when Pippin sings ‘A Walking Song’ to a noisily gluttonous Lord Denethor in Gondor, that is until the proverbial shit hits the fan…..in the most fantastic metal way.  The track very diverse, with strong guitar riffs and a beautiful guitar solo around the four minute mark. The song is exquisitely composed and executed, while it is very long, fans will find it worthy of every moment of ear time. The final track on Absence, ‘Zombie’, was originally written and recorded by alternative rockers, The Cranberries in 1994, while Soliloquium’s doom metal twist on the classic 90’s is well executed, the addition of clean vocals and integrating more of the higher range screams that listeners will hear in the chorus would have taken the track from good to most excellent.

Overall, Absence is phenomenal, extremely powerful, well written, and unique spin on what doom metal should sound like. Metalheads will appreciate Soliloquium’s take on melodic, doom with fantastical and whimsical twists, and the familiar sound of what metal used to be; a group of dudes, serving metal fans everything that they love: killer guitar riffs, beats to head bang to, and tracks that they will want to listen to over and over again. 

Whisker Biscuit - Whisker Biscuit

Whisker Biscuit - Whisker Biscuit

Written by Kelly Durrenberger on March 11, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Canadian hardcore, punk grind band, Whisker Biscuit is scheduled to release their twelve track, self-titled, debut album, Whisker Biscuit, on April 15, 2016 courtesy of Transcending Records. Fans that are searching for a band to rock their dirty, grungy, nasty socks off need not look any further than Whisker Biscuit. The quartet’s debut self-titled album, Whisker Biscuit, is twelve tracks of a rock-a-holic’s party playlist featuring titles such as ‘Pizza Slut’ and ‘Drink Til Death’. The album was recorded live on the floor and in a single session in order to give the album the same energy the band offers during their shows. The band as a whole is one of those that will make fans want to immediately find a college party to crash and fuck shit up. Kyra’s raspy, punky vocals certainly bring that youthful inner angst front and center, right where it belongs.

The tracks on Whisker Biscuit come together in a disgustingly beautiful way; sort of like the brief marriage of Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts. It could almost be compared to unicorn poop; there’s something orgasmically grotesque about it but it’s so majestic and rare that you can’t help but marvel and adore it. 

From beginning to end, fans will be enamored by this powerful woman and the rest of the band, in the same way the band is captivated by the amber colored eyes of beer and greasy pizza. And, let’s be honest, if pizza were a person named Pat, ‘Pizza Slut’ would basically be a cheesy love song dedicated to Pat. 

When the album ends, fans will want to break stuff or least aggressively push play again to restart the party. All in all, Whisker Biscuit is a wonderful combination of party style grindcore and hardcore punk, that’s the perfect mix of cheesy and delicious.

When Blood Falls Down - Ven[Ǝ]aH

When Blood Falls Down - Ven[Ǝ]aH

Written by Kelly Durrenberger on February 29, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Mexico’s When Blood Falls Down re-released their brutal 2012 EP titled Ven[Ǝ]aH on March 4th, this time around releasing the album with Transcending Records. The death metal foursome consists of the dynamic vocals of Kubrick, face-melting guitar riffs of Varg and eWOLF, and insane hammering on the drums of Jose. 

The title track is unquestionably worthy, kicking off with an intense scream and followed by chest pounding bass drum, so fast that it is a surprise that Jose’s feet didn’t fall off. Every verse in Ven[Ǝ]aH is filled with so much detestation and abhorrence, fans will yearn for a mosh pit to release their pent up rage.

Ven[Ǝ]aH is frankly a work of art; so metal that fans will feel as though they are summoning the dark prince from the instant the first track The Rotten begins. From the onset, fans will hear and feel the torment, rage, and hatred in Kubrick’s sinister vocals paired with crazy guitar riffs and enough double bass to raise the dead.  The album is perfectly well rounded, so much so it is impossible to choose the best track; death metal fans will certainly agree that from start to finish Ven[Ǝ]aH holds their attention for ransom. Visit Transcending Records to grab a copy of Ven[Ǝ]aH immediately; it will be the most positively malevolent day of any death metal fan’s life! 

Anthrax - For All Kings

Anthrax - For All Kings

Written by Ken Bowden on February 25, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Let’s be honest, Anthrax is one of those old school trash bands metal lovers either fuck with or they don’t. Regardless what side one is on, they are icons of the metal scene, and they get their respect. The band’s newest release For All Kings or 4AK made its official debut on February 26th and sports some killer cover art, even though most jaded heathens will like.

The intro to 4AK is short and sweet, instrumentally ominous and all that good stuff. The first track “You Gotta Believe”, is like someone kicking in the front door, filled with sick riffs, more or less what you expect from trash Gods. Midway through the track, the guitar picks up a notch, as do the vocals, improving the track tremendously. At first it’s not seriously impressive, just typical trash, but when it picks up, it becomes a damn good song.

The next track, “Monster at the End” boasts a catchy chorus, the instrumentation isn’t bad either. It is simply an okay song, not for lack of energy, there just seems to be something missing. Following that are “Zero Tolerance” and “Breathing Lightning”, “Zero Tolerance”, as wicked as the guitar riffs are, this is probably a weak point in the album.

It is about this point where some may feel like 4AK is good but not great, not what you would expect from Anthrax, that is until “Blood Eagle Wings” comes roaring through their speakers and knocks them on their ass. Maybe it is production genius or intentional song place, one can never be too certain of these things, but from “Blood Eagle Wings” the entire album steps the fuck up. Pure, unadulterated domination rather!
When fans think of Anthrax they expect to get dope guitar, which is probably why Scott Ian is the most well-known member of the band, but from “Blood Eagle Wings”, the instrumentation is just all around spectacular, solid, and a well-oiled machine of trash. A perfect example of this is the phenomenal opening to “Suzerain”, which from start to finish drills fist pumping, horn raising metal into fan’s brains without apology.

Overall, 4AK is like the first season of Netflix’s series Daredevil, serious Marvel fans jump on it without hesitation; others may ponder the idea to see it but need some prompting but then are hooked. For All Kings is exactly like this, diehard fans will love the entire album, without question, whereas others may hesitate but will find some tracks on the album they really like, despite the albums slow start. It’s not groundbreaking, similar to recent releases by Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Megadeth, but fans looking for fresh but familiar, A4K is definitely worth a listen.

The Maledict - Dread

The Maledict - Dread

Written by Kelsie Lunsford on February 23, 2016 for Bloodrock Media

Australian death/doom band, The Maledict, is set to release their self-produced debut studio album, Dread on March 4th. The four piece band consists of Ian McLean’s screaming vocals, Stuart Henry’s sick guitar riffs, Stuart McCarthy rockin’ the bass guitar, and Karl Freitag beating away on drums.

If you’re not familiar with The Maledict, you’re honestly missing out on some vantablack, exquisitely morose, death metal.

Dread will quite literally rock death metal fan’s Chucks off. One of the first things one will notice while listening to Dread is the feeling that you’re in a fantasy world. From the distinct guitar riffs, to melodic, intense vocals, and all around dramatic instrumentation, The Maledict is nothing but extraordinary.

‘Tenebrae’, is the first track off Dread and begins soft and melodic. As the song progresses, it becomes more well-rounded, and gives a strong sense of how the remainder of the album will sound. The second track, ‘Fast Unto the End’ gives a more powerful and fast paced start. It is during ‘Fast Unto the End’ that McLean’s diverse vocal range becomes apparent, from deep growls to cleans.

Lyrically, ‘A Muse in Requiem’, the album’s longest track, is nothing short of impressive. It is everything one lyrically wants in a song; intensity, emotion, and meaning. With skin-crawling, goose bump inducing lines such as, “And in her throes of dying, the Muse spoke unto me: ‘End this now, for only ever my shadow’s had any love for thee.’”. While the track is long, 12 minutes to be exact, one will not get bored; The Maledict does an impeccable job of keeping listener’s attention and desire to hear more. The final track on the album, ‘Deadened Eyes to the Horizon’, is 11 minutes long, and yet again, lyrically remarkable. The song, as a whole, is vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally well-crafted.

Dread, is one of the most beautifully melancholy, multidimensional, and intricate albums to come out of the death metal scene in recent history, if not ever. It is a must buy album of 2016.