Underground Forever marks the third stage for Duskwalker.
Formed in Canada in 2018, the band comprising Joey Scaringi (vocals, Varius), John Robinson (guitar), John Neadow (bass, Ocular Trauma) and Cale Costello (drums, ex-WretchedPain, live for Lutharo) sign with Black Lion Records for the release of this new album.
Crippled At The Core provides a catchy groove to kick off the album with an energetic rhythm, and the addition of vocal parts only strengthens the track’s violence. The cavernous growl increases the impact of the scathing harmonics, just as on The Loss where razor-sharp Thrash influences meet the raw power of Death Metal and its devastating strikes, as well as lively inspired solos. The aggression doesn’t let up with Never Going Back, a track on which crowds are likely to go wild when they hear its aggressive rhythm, then the band returns to strong Old School influences with Underground Forever, which places Heavy Metal roots and unifying choruses towards its end to complete the heady melody. City On A Cemetery unveils mysterious sounds before returning to its martial rhythm, finally blending the two to create a dissonant result that contrasts with the faster passages, then Posing Corpses tackles heaviness with slower sounds. The oppression doesn’t last, however, as the musicians accelerate to create jerky riffs before braking again on the thick Artillery Communion, reinforced by suffocating palm-mutes that barely let in a few strident leads. A new change of tempo for Vanquisher, who return to the basics of wild Thrash/Death, pouring out their fury in waves, including a passage dedicated to solos, then Blasted Past Extinction occasionally veers towards touches of Black/Death to give that darker aspect to the bursts of vigor that sometimes appear in the rousing mix. The band slows down again with ominous harmonics to give Inhaling The Dust Of Bones its terrifying tinge, but the melodies sometimes counterbalance the suffocating atmosphere with a touch of sweetness, eventually letting the track sink into silence.
With Underground Forever, Duskwalker expand their range of sounds, giving their energetic Thrash/Death sometimes heavier or darker tones. I look forward to seeing confirmation of the band’s power live!
85/100