The new Signs of the Swarm album is just around the corner!
Formed by Bobby Crow (drums) in 2014 in the USA, the band, which also features David Simonich (vocals), Michael Cassese (bass) and Carl Schulz (guitar), has signed to Century Media Records, announcing the 2023 release of Amongst the Low & Empty, its fifth album.
Amongst The Low & Empty, the first track, immediately kicks off with a devastating moshpart, anchoring the band in the rawest violence, complemented by demonic howls. A few more modern keyboards slightly temper the waves of rage, while Tower of Torsos gives them free rein again to pour out their crushing jerky riffs, making the track an almost continuous break. We have a brief moment of respite before the devastating final, which leaves us with the ominous Pray For Death and its dark tones, which are still extremely aggressive and heavy. The musicians let crazy Mathcore influences join their massive Deathcore before Borrowed Time takes over, offering its energetic groove under dissonant, soaring harmonics. Fire _ Stone spreads its heavy blackness, welcoming the gradually approaching howls before exploding the rhythm section and unleashing a monstrous rampage, before the band offer us some softer tones to start Shackles Like Talons, before slowly reviving their savagery to let it flare up again. There are a few softer, more heady leads, as on Dreamkiller, which reveals some groovy, catchy Djent influences, joined at the end by airy tones. The Witch Beckons return to visceral brutality with a more traditional approach to its violence, while placing a few more technical parts and welcoming Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium, Ibaraki) on vocals, then the band literally stuns us with Echelon and its modern approach, which doesn’t hesitate to include some disturbing Noise influences. The riffs remain extremely effective, as does Faces Without Names, which uses a few lead parts and a relatively energetic bass to give rhythm to its Hardcore-influenced rage. The Electro final leads us into Malady, the final composition, which brings this chapter to an end by injecting devastating Beatdown roots, strengthening their already unleashed basis as they let themselves die under the saturation.
Although still rooted in Deathcore, Signs of the Swarm have evolved, and with Amongst The Low & Empty offer a modern sound with diversified influences to back up their violence. If you’re not averse to experimentation, you’ll love it!
90/100