Review Summary: A mad cluster of genres that has no right to work yet somehow does.
It’s amazing how much a band can change over a few years. Starting out as a predominantly industrial metal band with strong nu metal leanings, Montreal crew Mellevon have seen a total evolution in their sound into a much more melodeath-influenced approach, while still retaining strong gothic and industrial undertones. With new album Covet, they’ve created a true sonic experience as we journey through their evolution and growth as musicians.
With opener “The Devil Knows”, we’re still subject to some nu metal-esque riffs, but the harsh vocals of Red Skull give it more of a DevilDriver-esque groove, with Chel Vorsteher’s keyboards taking it in all sorts of directions. Guitarists April Hutchins and Stefan Guaiani keep things simple with their riffs, but aren’t afraid to make things more technical when the occasion calls for it, such as in the more industrially driven “Cyberia”. If there’s one thing that Covet is not, it’s boring. Whether it be an identity crisis or an intentional effort to create something new and utterly impossible to categorise, Mellevon have really thrown everything at the wall here.
When we enter the second half of Covet, we continue to see new influences pile in, such as with the metalcore influenced “Horizons”. The track oozes with energy and urgency, clearly taking its cue from the early 00s metalcore scene while injecting a little of their own madness into the equation. I’m not sure whether to consider “Departure” as an interlude or not, as it remains primarily instrumental, creating a relaxed, ethereal atmosphere, and allowing the Mellevon guitarists to show off their chops a little before the steampunk-meets-black metal “The Hedonistic Manifesto” careens into view.
It’s really hard to categorise the core genre of a band like Mellevon. They seem to have taken a little bit of everything and meshed it together in a way which on paper, really shouldn’t work. The fusion of melodic death metal, gothic metal, nu metal and industrial metal as the core elements should be a recipe for disaster, but somehow they make it work. Tracks like “Bury Me” and “No Reflection” dance between brute force aggression and haunting melody in such a jarring yet cohesive way, that it just works. The way in which all members contribute vocals at some point on Covet adds to this schizophrenic nature, with each member offering a different vocal style, causing the music to adapt in order to fit. And yet, despite all these, all the tracks are easily identifiable as belonging to Mellevon. It’s difficult to comprehend.
I had no idea what to expect when going into this album, and I’m still not sure quite what I listened to, but I sure as hell enjoyed it. Covet sure is an experience, and it’ll be a tough act to follow. It's just a shame that Mellevon won't be the band to do that, due to the news as this review was posted that the band will be breaking up. But what a way to go out.
Attribution: https://youngbrokepissed.blogspot.com/2018/09/album-review-mellevon-covet.html
