Review Summary: Descend may be the band that us Opeth fans have been looking for all these years. This is an album that is truly remarkable. A faithful continuation of Opeth's formula all while keeping updated with the meta of twenty years of progressive death metal.
There are many bands that try and take up the style that Opeth established in the progressive metal scene, but very few bands could match the caliber of their songwriting abilities. I could say with confidence that Descend in their 2020 album The Deviant has passed that threshold from merely taking up the sound of a legend to becoming one themselves. Hey, maybe we’ve all just been sleeping on them for a while. They already have 3 full-length albums. Or maybe it’s something about just this album that is especially insane. It personally amazes me that this band can go about their business being so unrecognized despite the sheer quality of their work.
What you will find in this album is no less than exceptional progressive death metal. It feels as though they are sticking very true to the Opeth formula, but at the same time, it is apparent that Descend had studied the elements that more recent bands in this scene used with great success, and compiled them all into a new album that boldly introduces us into the next decade of great prog death to come. Aesthetically, this album has many similarities to different artists that one could name, but it has the most parallels with an album like Still Life from 1999, except it incorporates the epic nature of melodeath and delivers it through a more modern lens.
The album gives off vibes that are entirely sinister, as well as times where it can sound absolutely elegant. The general goal of these bands is to create an auditory juxtaposition between the aggressive, brutal, and technical aspects of death metal with basically whatever kind of beautiful, creative, and progressive sound they can muster up. And when it’s pulled off correctly, we get some of the most balanced albums in all of prog.
There are riffs as addictive as heroin packed into every song on this album. Its guitar work in general is stellar. But that is not to say any of the other instrumentalists were slacking. The writing and performing of the drumming, bass guitar, and vocals all do well to synergize with each other. They all have their moments where they shine as individuals as well as when they are in harmony with one another.
However, when one hears the bass of Descend and Opeth back-to-back, the difference is clear. The bass is not as distinct as it should be, and hence it can get a little lost in sections of chaos. The bass in metal music is always important, though often underappreciated. It’s the instrument that creates the foundation of the rhythm, and gives weight to the overall sound of a metal piece. In a future album, I would want to hear the bass a little bit more. This is a minor nitpick more than anything though as it does have its place in the album, as well as moments where it is able to shine, often in The Deviant’s more tranquil moments and moments where a smooth transition is needed.
Comparing Descend to a metal giant like Opeth has its ups and downs. This is of course because it creates a higher expectation from newcomers like this, but also that it shows that they are in contention with some of the best. And even though Opeth sounds better produced most of the time, I would say Descend actually has their Swedish heroes beat on other aspects of their music. For instance, their sound has moments of very strong and successful sound choices that Opeth has never attempted. The female guest vocalist on the song “The Purest One” has a great voice, and performs a nice contrast to the gutturals we’ve been presented with for the first section of the album. I could not find her name credited through researching this band, but she did an amazing job. One could also say that Descend didn’t need to place a sick saxophone interlude on the track “Wallow”, but its unexpected appearance was greatly appreciated (much akin to Rivers of Nihil on their latest album).
All in all, I have very little material to complain about on this album. It is honestly in contention for the best progressive death metal album of the year (alongside The Reticent). There are no bad songs on The Deviant, and it always provides a greatly enjoyable listen. For anyone who enjoys Opeth, this album is an absolute must. It truly feels as though Descend is the reincarnation of their classic style that has been long dead since Heritage in 2011. If so, they are starting from scratch but with a new and interesting path ahead of them.
