While the thrash revival appears to be on its last legs the death knell sounded for deathcore at least a year ago. That doesn’t stop labels from signing new bands parroting a sound that’s been beaten past the point of originality. Take a look at the roster of many of the “most pissed off and brutal!” metal festivals that stopped in town this summer; with notable exceptions, many were packed to the gills with bands that sound exactly like each other. Deathcore and metalcore are the American Idol of modern metal; everything sounds like a cover song performed better by someone else; everyone is a trying to be as popular as they can in the shortest time possible and there isn’t a thimble of talent among the whole bunch. You can pretty much get Killswitch Engage’s catalog and ignore what followed.
And yet, like some extraterrestrial slime, this questionable art forms keeps growing, sucking in teenagers with stretched earlobes and an occasional Prince Albert via MySpace and Hot Topic. Oceano was even able to win listeners using a video of a “fight” at skate park show that looked as menacing as a game of rock-paper scissors.
The latest of the deathcore/metalcore bunch is England’s Viatrophy (formed from the ashes of former Candlelight act Seventh Cross, ) and their self-titled first album. There’s nothing new here. First, there’s the “take us seriously” musical opening “Lux Et Tenebris” and interludes like “Aurora” that are meant to make the band sound progressive. Then there’s the predictable chugging riffs and breakdowns. It all adds up to stale and redundant listening.
The only glimmers of hope are halfway through the album; the sixth track “Scenes of Extended Peril” is pared down, straightforward and punchy. “Sufferance” also has some strong thrashy moments. Viatrophy has command of their instruments and the guitar work requires ample dexterity. But vocalist Adam Mayes too frequently uses a vocal appr oach that mimics Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, except he can’t pull of the growl and high-pitch alterations nearly as well.
It’s never fun to slag a young band trying to get a start, but Viatrophy isn’t worth your time. The music doesn’t stick with you and won’t move you anywhere except elsewhere in your collection.
[Visit the band's website]Find more articles with 2009, Candlelight Records, Justin M. Norton, Review, Viatrophy
Comments
Leave a Reply
tbh, i thought this album had a few strong songs on it, sea of storms in particular.
on Sep 16th, 2009 at 08:52I hate deathcore 99.99999% of the time, but this didn’t sound overly deathcore. I don’t listen to much of the genre at all but I’ll take this over Black Dahlia or Blowjob for a Brokeback.
on Sep 16th, 2009 at 19:28i thought it was a pretty solid start.
on Sep 17th, 2009 at 11:08Well this was a pretty bad review. You just started out by saying “METALCORE/DEATHCORE ALL SUCKS” and even went so far as saying that all those bands were copying KSE, follwed by the conclusion of “this tape is deathcore/metalcore and I dont like that kind of music, so it sucks, the end”
on Sep 17th, 2009 at 21:45i agree totally with krustster. dude i dont even think you listened to this album. viatrophy is tits. yu poser
on Sep 18th, 2009 at 21:52I agree with krustster, it seems like you didnt even listen to the album more than once, how can you criticize something you dont even bother to pay atention to, all you did was say “metalcore/deathcore sucks” bullshit, whats with the hate towards a genre, make yourself a favor and stop being close minded
on Sep 18th, 2009 at 23:53What a shit review. You, Justin M. Norton, are a faggot.
on Sep 19th, 2009 at 04:38I actually like this and their EP quite a lot.
on Sep 20th, 2009 at 12:52i don’t usually leave comments but your hateraid review pissed me off, u obviasly havn’t
really listened to any deathcore, or im not even going to say deathcore, ill say NEW METAL, NEW SHIT, NOT SLAYER, NOT NILE, or whatever the fuck u listen, NOT DIO, NOT DREAM THEATER? fuck if i know. RADIO? MTV? for u to say ppl like black dahlia and oceano have no talent, your a fucking moron and obviasly play no instriments. its new u jackass and deathcore fuckers are very talented, u should check into it a little more before hateraid, dont write reviews anymore you are a close minded fucktard with a ego bigger than ur dick, god i hate ppl like u. GO AWAY!!!!! deatchcore, metalcore, viking metal RULES!!!
check out bands like, as blood runs black, all shall perish, we butter the bread with butter, job for a cowboy (DOOM), conducting from the grave….. for starters, eas your self into the deatchcore, maybe ull think different, singing isn’t everything thier is a band that plays 2. if not, you have a vagina between your legs. BREAK DOWN CHUG CHUG!! shit pull the stick out of your ass and think different. or just listen to protest the hero first maybe… iono
on Sep 23rd, 2009 at 18:51^^^^^^still not done, whatever happened to the days of anti conformaty, aggresion, rebellion, and dark filthy thoughts that started metal, deathcore has really only been around for about 3 years tops, how can u hatefully say they all just copy eachother… DUH idiot!!! how long do u think people copied bands like metallica, slayer, or even far back as ac/dc and black sabbath before the band you hold so high killswitch engage came about? and its not even copying, we listen to new music get idea and insperation to do something like it but different, just like everyone before us… its eveolution, u dickfor! what’s a dickfor……? exactly!
on Sep 23rd, 2009 at 19:14yeah man, that’s “eveolution” right there.
on Sep 24th, 2009 at 19:38baha im an idiot oh well
on Sep 28th, 2009 at 15:31Viatrophy is one of my absolute favorite bands and this album is on the top of my list @ numbers played. I can’t believe what i was reading when i looked at this. How can you say so much negative things about this amazing album?
You shouldnt review music you have no clue about. Idiot.
R.I.P Viatrophy :(
on Aug 26th, 2010 at 12:53Wow what a load of rubbish – completely biased one sided review of a pretty decent album. I prefer the more raw stuff before a bands music starts getting too tight and suffers that clinical sound – this album is spot on. It’s got a good mix of ambient, technical and thrashy stuff on it and it never really goes where you expect it to.
Don’t read the review, just listen to the music and form your own opinion :)
on Apr 26th, 2011 at 08:50