Stone Horns is back to make us headbang.
Created in 2016, the band composed of Devf (vocals), Antoine (guitar), Loïc (drums) and Vincent (bass) offers us Rise of Apophis, its second album.
After the success of the first album, created in a Groove/Death with Metalcore accents, the band roams stages before sharpening its new riffs to offer an explosive comeback. We begin with The Unborn, a raw song full of rage that counts as much on effective rhythmic with kind of robotic drum sound as well as raucous screams from the vocalist, while Molten River draws inspiration from a sharp Gothenburg Death Metal. From Amorphous to Hydra develops a hooking heaviness and simple but effective patterns filled with an interesting dissonance, then we find dark melodies back on Shores of Kismeth. The song offers a contrast between rage and control, then Night and Day breaks the rhythm with a suffocating and slow composition. Melancholy and languor meet on this oppressive rhythmic, then we go back to this ageless rage with Surging Out The Nile. Mystical and heady leads slight on heavy riffs borrowed to Deathcore, then Invocation goes into Old School and ethnical sonorities, letting place to some more piercing leads. Backing vocals really help on this warlike ambience, then Tide of Blood & Bones reconnects with this increasing rage that finally explodes into the vocalist’s howlings. The rhythmic is still effective, then Rise of Apophis, the last song, boards us into this melting with Thrash accents, and releases us after a good fix of violence.
A catchy and motivating album for Stone Horns, that gives us something to add to their setlist. Rise of Apophys is a melting between modern and Old School mix, Thrash and Death, Groove and rage, that will need some listening sessions before being integrated.
70/100