HELD. - GREY (MNRK Heavy)
Off to an auspicious start, the passion project from The Sleeping’s Douglas Robinson and Salvatore Mignano, along with Coheed and Cambria’s Josh Eppard in HELD. construct poignant post-hardcore on GREY. Urgent, emotive and sincere, the veteran players showcase songwriting prowess given their resumes, yet manage to gel together in a way that suggests they are light years ahead of their debut outing in terms of chemistry. With supporting dates ahead with Underoath, Thrice and plays at Furnace Fest and Neverender Festival, HELD.'s brand of well-built post-hardcore will quickly make new believers.
PERIPHERY - A PALE WHITE DOT (3DOT Recordings)
Praised for their virtuosity among prog snobs and djent enthusiasts, Periphery's latest full length is also their most audacious. On A Pale White Dot, Periphery set out to become a more accessible version of themselves with sub 5-minute tracks and compositions that are more concise, more conventional than previous works. The result is collection of tracks that effectively trim the fat and still pack all the performative punch that Periphery have made their signature. Streamlined, succinct and straightforward, the champions among modern prog dared to be more efficient than epic and made good on the old adage, sometimes less is more.
SPLIT - A Thousand Reflections (Prime Collective)
Metallic hardcore prospects Split have delivered a knockout blow with their latest EP, A Thousand Reflections. With Ben Jeppsen proving dominant as a frontman, SPLIT's musical volatility results in two-minute barrages that translate as violent and visceral. Chaotic guitars, forceful percussion and powerful vocals accented with eerie atmospherics ("The Sheep" intro sets a dark precedent) prove SPLIT are a force to be reckoned with. Adding in guest features from NECKBREAKKER and hardcore hitters DEFIANCE, the Danish collective strike swift and effective.
JUNGLE ROT - CRUEL FACE OF WAR (Unique Leader Records)
12 albums in, veteran death metal unit Jungle Rot continue to carry the flag for extreme music. Combining thrash, crust and crossover, the band's latest full length is less about reinventing the wheel and more about honoring the sound. Delivering crushing anthems with consistency, the Wisconsin brutalizers steer the course with the kind of heft that emphasizes skilled songwriting over performative spectacle. Destructive death metal done right for more than 30 years and counting, Jungle Rot continue to defy time.
LOST IN SEPARATION - SELF-TITLED (SBG Records)
Texas metalcore contemporaries Lost In Separation move with intention on their latest self-titled EP. Likely the most indicative of their sound, the band's meld of melodic core and precision djent makes for an impressive emotional ebb and flow on the release. Garrett Paras's soothing croon contrasted with Andrew Hickman's guitars that range from searing to soaring frame a sound that is versatile, sturdy and self-assured. In a saturated space of metalcore, Lost in Separation manages to standout with dynamic songwriting, believable conviction and glimpse of their true potential with their most complete work to date.
