Brand of Sacrifice
Between Death and Dreams

Release Date: 04/21/2023 | Tracklist

Totally absurd deathcore act Brand of Sacrifice return with a short four song E.P. where they continue to reel destruction up from the deepest pits of hell. A genre in which pig noises, gurgled grunts and banshee shrieks have become the standard for success, Brand of Sacrifice have found themselves a champion in Kyle Anderson who is amongst the most technically talented in the scene and provides a key piece in their identity. With this release, Kyle seems to experiment a bit with a clean vocal delivery which is very hit-or-miss in that, yes, it breaks up the chaos a bit and allows for a bit more melody and distinctive chorus sections in the songs, but the quality of said vocals is a bit lacking. Certainly, there is room for improvement in terms of strengthening of melody choices and overall sound but with these four songs, the inclusion of these cleaner sections feels a bit forced and unnecessary to their success. With a multitude of deathcore bands experimenting with sung vocals successfully, i.e.: Fit for an Autopsy, Within the Ruins, Whitechapel, etc.…it’s only natural for this to be a natural evolutionary choice.

Besides the vocal experimentation, this E.P. is standard fare from the boys featuring cinematic and energetic symphonic swells as well as bouncy, operatic choir chants. These elements have become synonymous with their approach and help to differentiate them from other deathcore acts. The only issue is that the gimmick feels like it might be beginning to wear thin. While these four tracks aren’t bad, they do feel quite similar in which they embark with an explosion of noise that heightens with those symphonic elements, eventually climaxing into a brutal breakdown with lots of little guitar effects and noises while Anderson strangles a corpse or a pig with his bare fists or something of that nature. The satisfaction comes with the power of the production and excellent mix where it certainly feels like a wall of sound coming through the speakers but most of the individual elements are identifiable and important to the overall listening experience. However, the songs themselves feel like leftovers from the cutting room floor in the ‘Lifeblood’ writing sessions. With as much talent as this group has expressed in the past, these tracks are not indicative of their potential and ability. I remain hopeful that this group will return with a stronger crop of songs in the future but I’m sure that fans of the band will find solace and enjoyment from these tracks as well.

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