Review Summary: A short but sweet ride through a usually monotonous genre, Empires is one of the few “DeathCore” albums you must hear.
Everyday, at one time or another, I find myself seated at my computer, searching for new music to listen to. Maybe I’ll go to last.fm and view the “Similar Artists” tab for one of my favorite bands (usually of the metal variety). The results are always the same, bands with names involving death, blood, gore, etc. I usually click on the first band with a name that stands out to me, and take a listen. Most music websites will tell you what genre the bands listed fall under. Being someone who loves to listen to fast, heavy music, I am familiar with a few “buzz-words”, if you will, floating around today’s music scene. Most commonly, I see the term “DeathCore”.
I’ve done enough listening to the point that, when I think “DeathCore”, my thoughts tend to go something like this: “blast beat, blast beat, chug-chug breakdown, blast beat, two step, chug-chug breakdown, two step… over and over again for three and a half minutes.” Not only does this get old, it was never the best formula to begin with (if you ask me). Many bands try to make up for sub-par songwriting with fast, technical instrumentals. Even so, listening to a “DeathCore” album is never a satisfying experience for me. Then, one day, a friend introduced me to a group of guys, not much older than me, known as “Animosity”. Long story short, it was everything I wanted in a band.
In 2005, Animosity released their second LP, Empires, on Metal Blade imprint Black Market Activities. They were labeled a “DeathCore” band, once again. In a genre with such a poor reputation, Animosity is an exception to the rule. This album isn’t your usual monotony. There’s no “metal by numbers” here. Instead, Empires is an album that stands out in the crowd.
There are quite a few things to like (or love) about this band. First you have the overall style: heavy, relentless, unpredictable. Then, if you begin to dissect the music down to each individual band member, you will be equally satisfied. There are no weak links here.
The drum parts are more or less just death metal grooves; they’re about as far from generic as it gets. Please don’t be mistaken, there are blast beats and break downs, but Animosity does it differently. It is metal presented completely differently than you are used to hearing, almost to the point of saying: “You just need to listen and you’ll see what I mean”.
The guitars are equally impressive. Of course, drop tuning is used, but the absence of “chug-chug” is something to get excited about, all by itself. Like the drummer, the guitarists are very mature in their musicianship. There are even times in Empires when you can actually decipher the bass riffs amongst the shredding (something none too common in metal these days).
Last, but by no means least, we have the vocalist, Leo Miller. If you like aggressive, “in your face”, brutal (for lack of a better word) screaming, Leo is your guy. Not only does he have fantastic stage presence, but his voice alone on the recording is yet another reason Animosity stands out. For starters, he is one of the most capable vocalists in today’s extreme metal scene. From low growls and gut vocals, to straight black metal screams, this guy does it all. His lyrics may not be the most poetic, but they sure do add adrenaline to the music (not that it needs any more).
Overall, Empires is just what DeathCore needs more of. It’s not your usual cookie-cutter hybrid of hardcore and death metal. Animosity definitely put their own creativity into this album.
Here’s a few pros and cons:
Pros:
- This is not your average experience. Empires leaves you craving for another listen.
- Excellent instrumentals!
- Empires actually has a lasting value, unlike most metal records these days.
- The vocals alone are enough to give any metalhead a good time.
Cons:
- Although this music is not generic, the songs do tend to run together a little.
- It’s less than 30 minutes long.
- Leo’s lyrics aren’t the best.
I would recommend this album to anyone who likes fast, heavy, relentless music. It’s definitely worth your time/money!
