Review Summary: A brilliant display of talent and songwriting ability, Here Comes the Kraken's debut is as consistent as it gets when it comes to brutal deathcore.
Here Comes the Kraken are a brutal technical deathcore band hailing from Mexico of all places. They combine ferocious technicality, guttural vocals and cunt smashing breakdown riffs - but isn't that what every deathcore band seem to do?
Some could say yes, but the fact is, Here Comes the Kraken are ridiculously good at what they do. Every member is very competent and the band's songwriting skills are certainly not average. There are frequent bouts of guitar wankery, usually
in the form of sweeping but it is always welcomed. After the obligatory introduction track, things really get going with Don't Fail Me Darko. Right from the onset, you know this band mean business; tight blasbeats aplenty, very well done vocals
incorporating a mix of high screams and low growls and a good blend of brutality and melody in the riffs. Oh and another thing that might surprise you - audible bass! It doesn't always follow the guitars either which is refreshing. Put simply,
Don't Fail Me Darko is a brutal collection of riffs and impressive breakdowns (you won't find overly simplistic open chord chugging, there is a lot more substance to the guitar parts than most generic deathcore bands). Not much past the halfway
point, you're ears are treated to an absolutely terrific guttural roar; for those that way inclined, you can rape your ears
over and over until fully satisfied.
The rest of the album follows suit really. But what sets this band apart from their deathcore peers is the way they can seamlessly blend extreme brutality with a great sense of melody - it is clear that the songwriting skills of the band are
very well developed. There are some superb double bass drum patterns (parts of Into the Slaughter Basement has some sick groove-laden riffs) and generally, the drums are interesting and varied enough to keep you interested. The rhythm section is probably one of the most impressive I've heard in the deathcore genre - Into the Slaughter Basement has an excellent bass solo section before plunging you back into the depths of musical insanity.
Other album highlights include Underwater Visions, a rip roaring track that features some awesome bass work, varied vocals and a great melodic section, proving that Here Comes the Kraken aren't always 100% brutal 100% of the time. All in all, the
band's debut is extremely impressive and I would rate it very highly in the brutal deathcore genre - definitely check this out if you're into old Through the Eyes of the Dead, The Boy Will Drown (although they're more tech/spazz), Postmortem Promises and all those other deathcore bands that everybody on Sputnik loves to hate.
Recommended Tracks
Don't Fail Me Darko
Into the Slaughter Basement
Underwater Visions
The Legend of the Rent Is Way Hardcore
