Synestia is a new symphonic deathcore duo consisting of Minnesota’s Sam Melchior (all instruments, writing) and Finland’s Ville Hokkanen (vocals). In 2022 they released their fantastic debut album, Malificium, but it was digital only and got kind of bulldozed by that year’s slew of stellar releases in the genre from Shadow of Intent,  Worm Shepherd, A Wake In Providence, Bonecarver, Spire of Lazarus, Downfall of Mankind, She Must Burn, and of course Lorna Shore‘s Pain Remains. But it was a hell of a record.

Disembodied Tyrant is a British solo symphonic deathcore project featuring Black Mullins, and has two digital EPs under his belt since 2021. Both are solid examples of the genre.

The two projects have collaborated (I’m not 100% sure who does what other than what is listed on the front cover’s credits) to release a stunning 4 song EP called The Poetic Edda, and it is arguably the best thing in the symphonic deathcore genre I’ve heard since Pain Remains. So good that even though it’s a digital (Bandcamp, Spotify, etc) release, I’m still fucking reviewing it.

Both projects already had a pretty hefty symphonic/orchestral element on past releases (Fleshgod Apocalypse‘s Francesco Ferrini helped out on Synestia’s Malificium), but lawd have mercy has it been upped on these four songs. Composed by Synestia’s Melchior, who apparently learned a lot from Ferrini, has delivered far bigger classical and baroque influence to the stern, well-written, pummeling deathcore, and it comes together for four spectacular songs.

Obviously, the bands in the opening paragraph are the starting point here with Mullin’s production/mix and master rendering some massive, commanding deathcore with plenty of huge, lumbering breakdowns and vocals clearly influenced by Lorna Shore as heard on dramatic opener “Death Empress”  certainly on the devastating “I, Devourer” and “The Poetic Edda”, but Melchior’s (and Mullins’) compositions and orchestration is simply next level, whether is the superb little violin or piano breaks, the female choral injections or full on orchestral bombast – it’s absolutely breathtaking.

But I really want to talk about the EP closer, “Winter” where the collaboration melds Vivaldi’s famous opening piece from his Four Seasons work into thunderous deathcore. And holy fuck does it work. When everything comes together a couple of minutes in, it’s truly one of those “whaaaaat….?” “is that….?”  or “Did they just….?” moments, that then translates to sheer wonder as that instantly recognizable violin line comes in with blast beats and growls…..its utterly outstanding. and then the massive groove later….. sheesh…

I know I gushed and wrote a lot about a 20-minute, 4-song EP, but this is that good and I hope a label like Century Media, Lacerated Enemy, Reality Fade, etc hears this and signs them (and Netherwalker while you are at it) as the debut and needs to bundle the Synestia debut and this EP up into some sort of physical media. It will move units….I promise.

[Visit the band's website]

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