Review Summary: Lugal Ki En: Technicality ✓ Brutality ✓ Originality ✓ Enjoyable? Sadly not for me...
I could write about the whole objective technical brilliance in this album, but speaking subjectively this album has left me severely wishing I didn't pay for it. The largest downfall of this album for me is the production, in comparison to the previous albums it sounds drastically more hollow. Technical metal, in particular technical death metal is a rich genre with countless amazing bands, and deathcore is another rich genre with many enjoyable aspects, but Lugal Ki En only takes the worst of these aspects from these genres. The technicality doesn't add to the album in a positive way and only further proves the point "Hurr durr we can shred." And the more deathcore chugging sections are quite weak when compared to many other deathcore and extreme metal bands which have far more original and stronger breakdowns then RoS.
The vocals on this album are definitely a step up for Ian, he has definitely grown since his earlier bands in a positive way, he still brings his ferocious lows and blood shrieking highs. Though they sound a tad bit more processed than I like, but they still hold their own. Sadly they do not rescue my least favourite aspect of the album, the drums. Though the beast sitting behind the kit, Aaron Kitcher is an amazing drummer and I enjoy both Black Tongue and his side project Infant Annihilator, the drums on this album just don't work for me. I'm sure that if the production of the guitar and bass were "thicker" and fuller than the drums would please me my ear pussies far more.
Yes there is bass recorded for this album, and yes I really do commend Lucas on his prowess on both guitar and bass, but this is an album that doesn't have me even thinking of bass, most solid albums often have me switching attention from guitars, drums and bass but this album feels like the bass is a bit neglected.
Both their debut and Dingir are albums that I find my self listening to quite often, sadly Lugal Ki En isn;t one of these albums as well. Though I'm not a fan of this album I still am a fan of RoS. I commend Lucas and the rest of the band for exploring new places and creating something new and unique, but this album just isn't for me, it just feels too lifeless compared to their previous efforts. Can't wait to hear what they do next...
(PS: I have nothing against shredding and technicality, I just don't like it in the context of Lugal Ki En)
