Signs of the Swarm

Deathcore was once dismissed as a trend, so it’s ironic that it now has trends within itself. Downtempo, slamming and now blackened variants of the style have dominated its scene at various points, with many bands jumping ship.

Pittsburgh’s Signs of the Swarm aren’t just any band, though. They’re a once-a-generation beacon that radiates the sounds that surrounded them, preserving history by reframing it. On fourth LP Absolvere, they’re bleak without being blackened, smashing without being slam, and downtempo as a choice rather than a stylistic confine. And as many of their deathcore peers experiment with adding singing, often gruff in tone, they add a more ethereal style that soothes on “Dreaming Desecration” and “Death Whistle.”

The band contrasts that with some of the most brutal moments in their eight-year career, with riffs more punishing than pensive and a rhythm section that frames them in creatively cacophonic ways. Above it all, they’re utilizing vocalist David Simonich monstrous range in a much fuller capacity than on his debut, 2019’s Vital Deprivation.

That transitional album found the band experimenting to re-find their footing, which here lands on solid ground through the addition of guitarist Jeff Russo, a former bandmate of Simonich’s fin Improvidence. The proof is in the placing, with Absolvere landing at #15 on “Current Hard Music Albums,” #21 on “Top New Artist Albums” and #139 on “Heatseekers.”

Behind the cohesive crusher is drummer-turned-bassist-turned-drummer Bobby Crow, who acted as de facto producer, arranging the riffs written across Skype to make the songs more than the sum of their parts.

This gave Simonich a lofty platform from which to roar about the real (loved ones struggling with addiction, submitting one’s self wholly to art despite negativity swirling about) and the surreal; he or his characters beg for the release of death only to be denied. “Nameless” centers around a character collecting souls marked by death to receive its blessing, while “Blood Seal” follows a ritual to summon it. “Dreaming Desecration” and “Hollow Prison” are two sides of the same coin. When one finds themselves trapped in a meaningless existence, they can either attempt to escape through murderous hallucinations or succumb to the grave, respectively.

“Death Whistle” is the penultimate song, closing the album and the writing sessions for Absolvere with a tale concluding in sweet release. The piercing screech of the titular whistle contrasts with a subtle serenade.

Indeed, sometimes contrast can be a perfect complement, but more often that effect is achieved when paired with something more in-line. So it is when Ben Duerr (Shadow of Intent) and Alex Erian (Despised Icon) join the band for growls and shouts, where Signs of the Swarm filter their guests’ bands through their own sound. Instead of taking away from their identity, it expands it.

They’re steadily expanding their global reach, too. In the few short months since Absolvere’s release, Signs of the Swarm have toured with the likes of Fit for an Autopsy, Born of Osiris and Shadow of Intent. Forthcoming domination campaigns of Europe and Australia will be added to their tenure with Aborted, Lorna Shore, Brand of Sacrifice and more. Forget the signs, the swarm is already here, and it’s growing larger and louder every day.

Godsmack

Godsmack is an American alternative metal/hard rock American band originally from Lawrence, Massachusetts. The current lineup consists of Sully Ema, Robbie Merrill, Tony Rombola and Shannon Larkin.

Slaughter To Prevail

Kostolom is the epic second LP from the duo Alex Terrible and Jack Simmons’ band Slaughter to Prevail. The album expands on the dynamic extremes of their 2017 debut, Misery Sermon — pairing Alex’s dark, cathartic lyrics with Simmons’ pummeling riffs and tense, cinematic solos. “We wanted to make each song for us stand out in a different way,” the guitarist says. “On some of the songs, we focused on wanting to keep it uptempo, building to a breakdown as the focal point. Other songs it was about groove or the chorus — ‘how can we make this melodic?’ The albums we love the most have those dynamics, and we want to use them to make each part hit harder.”

The songs evolved over several years, the first demos constructed shortly before the release of Misery Sermon. And they finally finished the material in late 2020, with everyone (Alex, Simmons, bassist Mikhail Petrov, guitarist Dmitry Mamedov) having tracked their respective parts at home. (Evgeny Novikov recorded his drums at a nearby studio in Moscow.)

Tracks like “Made in Russia” and “Head on a Plate” pile-drive their detuned riffs straight into your skull, offering a platform for Alex at his most menacing. But the frontman also stretches out across the record, adding clean choruses to anthems like “Baba Yaga” and “Your Only.”
Alex’s words — largely sung in Russian, with occasional bursts of English — are also more balanced than the bleak song titles may suggest. “The lyrics,” Simmons says, “are quite personal to anyone who listens, I think — of personal struggle, keeping a positive mental attitude and going through the shit to have a better life and achieve your goals.”

As always, Slaughter to Prevail aim to provoke you, even as they empower you. “We want something that causes an emotion — whether it’s good or bad, disappointment or excitement or whatever,” Simmons says. “We don’t want something that’s stereotypical.”

Airbourne

When Airbourne entered Music Farm Studio in southeastern Australia to track their new self-titled album, the sixth in a recording career now two decades deep, they effectively drew a line in the Byron Bay sand. This was the moment. Time to dig deep, to show the values they keep close, the traditions they uphold, the music that defines them. While history proves these Melbourne-based musicians – brothers Joel and Ryan O’Keeffe, vocals / guitar & drums respectively, bassist Justin Street and guitarist Brett Tyrrell – to be ever ready for a challenge, this one was larger than the band. Their mission was to create not just the greatest body of work in the Airbourne canon, but to scale the highest possible peak. Simply, this is ‘Airbourne’, band and album, at the very peak of their powers, pushing themselves to the limit in single-minded pursuit of the “iconic, gargantuan” release they had in their sights from the start; a release – produced by Brian Howes (who helmed 2013’s ‘Black Dog Barking’), engineered by Mike Fraser (who worked on 2010’s ‘No Guts. No Glory’ and 2016’s ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’), mixed by Zakk Cervini (BMTH, Architects) and mastered by the legendary Ted Jensen – that pays heartfelt tribute to the enduring spirit of fallen rock’n’roll idols like Bon Scott and Lemmy, John Bonham and Malcolm Young, revered artists kept alive in the hearts and minds of fans.

Deafheaven

DEAFHEAVEN.COM

Municipal Waste

Tango & Thrash out via Nuclear Blast
https://municipalwaste.bfan.link/tango-thrash.fbi

Death Angel

Death Angel is a thrash metal band from Concord, California formed in 1982 and currently consists of Rob Cavestany, Mark Osegueda, Ted Aguilar, Will Carroll and Damien Sisson.

Kittie

Born in June 2019, CRYPTA is a Brazilian Metal four-piece, influenced by the old school sub-genres of the style.

Vader

DE PROFUNDIS, now available for the first time on vinyl and for streaming via Nuclear Blast Records! http://nblast.de/Vader-DeProfundis

Soen

SOEN emerged from the shadows of Sweden’s progressive metal scene, not with a whisper but with an uncompromising clarity and resolve. Born from the vision of drummer Martin Lopez, previously known for his tenure with the iconic Opeth, and the introspective voice of vocalist Joel Ekelöf, SOEN swiftly carved out a unique identity, their debut album Cognitive (2012) immediately establishing them as a formidable presence.

Their sound is complex yet deeply human, woven together by intricate rhythms, nuanced melodies, and a lyrical depth that demands introspection. The band’s lineup soon solidified, anchored by the versatile multi-instrumentalist Lars Enok Åhlund, guitarist Cody Lee Ford, and the steadfast rhythms of bassist Stefan Stenberg. Over the years, former members such as guitarist Kim Platbarzdis, guitarist Marcus Jidell, and bassist Zlatoyar have also left indelible marks, contributing significantly to the band’s sound and evolution.

Steve'n'seagulls

200 Stab Wounds

Riffs From the Septic Tank

MASTER BOOT RECORD

I am a 486DX-33MHz-64MB processing avant-garde chiptune, synthesized heavy metal & classical music.

Witch Club Satan

Norskt feminískt, okkúltískt black metal sviðsverk

Frog Leap

Monkeys On Mars

Signs of the Swarm

Performers