Bleed From Within is back.
Formed in 2005 in Scotland, the band started out with Deathcore. Their musical shift was not appreciated by all their fans, but Scott Kennedy (vocals), Craig « Goonzi » Gowans (guitar), Ali Richardson (drums, Sylosis), Davie Provan (bass) and Steven Jones (guitar/vocals) are now ready to defend Shrine, their sixth album, which will be released in 2022 by Nuclear Blast.
The album opens with I Am Damnation, a fairly dark track that lets majestic leads land on the intro before the groovy rhythmic pattern takes over. Rage is present in the screams, embellished on the choruses by majestic sounds, and then it can also felt on Sovereign, an efficient and rather straightforward track of which only mission is to break necks. The melodies are perfectly combined with the energetic rhythmic before letting Levitate offer us a moment of floating with this soaring introduction. The raw violence quickly resurfaces to offer us a heavy intensity, especially during these deep choruses, which let heady melodies haunt us, then Flesh And Stone will let imposing influences feed a sound that revives the band’s roots. The devastating blast creates a contrast with the orchestral parts, but the mix remains extremely effective just like the very heavy Invisible Enemy. Besides the killer groove and the threatening screams, the track is a real incentive to the permanent mosh that will only end with Skye, a soaring interlude that allows us to breathe. But Stand Down quickly takes over with its raw energy and its very aggressive jerky riffs covered by the devastating and motivating screams of the vocalist, which will appear again on Death Defined, a track with more complex patterns, testifying of some angry Prog influences. The track will rage until the last moment, then it will give way to Shapeshifter and its devastating blast which however lets majestic choruses appear, creating a catchy contrast. The bewitching leads bring us this light touch of sweetness, just like on Temple of Lunacy which keeps the raw energy and the more aerial parts. Killing Time will use extremely effective jerky riffs, but also a quite oppressive dissonance which, coupled with the devastating screams which gives a suffocating and dark result, which will continue with Paradise, the last track. The worrying introduction gives way to a solid rhythmic dyed with more majestic, ominous and distressing elements that will eventually fade away with the rage.
Shrine confirms that the band is in full acceleration. If Bleed From Within has surprised in the past with an unforeseen musical turn, the musicians propose solid compositions, a groovy and melodious sound, but above all, an engaging rage and intensity.
90/100