Review Summary: A little known metalcore gem full of groove, dissonance, and a dark, dense atmosphere.
Hardcore is a vast genre that encompasses several different sub-genres. There are so many bands out there to look into that sometimes good bands can be swept under the rug, albeit unintentionally. One such band,
Kashee Opeiah, is a metalcore band from Chemnitz, Germany that has gotten little to no exposure since it's debut album
Panic In Solitude, and it’s too bad since the album deserves to be heard.
Panic In Solitude is a concept album. Each track flows into the next, giving musical backing to the story inside the lyrics, which depict a man on a journey to find his true purpose in life. The album gives off a feeling of isolation and longing that adds some real depth and emotion to the music. Similar to being inside a tsunami, the music flows over you and drowns you in the unrelenting waves. The album is crushing to say the least, starting off with some feedback before blasting the listener in the face. Musically, it is reminiscent of early Norma Jean, Botch and Car Bomb, trading off between palm-muted riffs and dissonant lead lines while constantly shifting tempos and time signatures. The band’s main appeal however, lies in the heavy use of groove and jazz rhythms. Songs like "Oh, Endless Ocean! Oh, Poor Me!" and "Kept by a Numerical Control" feature some incredibly catchy riffs that will leave you banging your head for days. The harsh vocals rarely venture outside of a ripping, mid-range scream, with some short spoken word passages being the only change in style.
With a running time of 62:26,
Panic In Solitude can be a bit of an investment, but the band does what it can to lessen the monotony by occasionally incorporating clean, jazzy instrumental passages and some airy riffing similar to the likes of Hopesfall. A good example is "Within the Thoughts of a Puppet" which starts with a very melodic dual guitar passage that breaks into a heavy, yet still melodic chorus. "After this Act of Deliverance" also offers a short rest, starting with a slow melody and building into a massive post-metal riff.
Altogether,
Panic In Solitude is a great metalcore debut from a band that needs much more exposure. Recommended to fans of hardcore and metalcore.
