If you don’t know what a mix of violence and symphonies sounds like, put your trust in Dragoncorpse.
Created internationally by blending two well-known names from the Metal scene, the band bringing together Mardy Leith (vocals, Petrified Giant), Kris Chayer (guitar), Noah Nikolas Laidlaw (bass, Possess the Asylum), Justin Gogan (drums) and Mark Marin (orchestrations) unveils 2024 The Fall of House Abbarath, their second EP, with the confidence of Shattered Earth Records.
The band kicks things off in style with An Introduction to ? HEROISM ?, an (you guessed it) epic introduction where two characters verbally clash before the victory of the one who seems to be the hero (I guessed it because he doesn’t have a monster voice). The mood remains upbeat with the epic Welcome Home, but fury soon joins the party, and strange as it may seem… the two worlds complement each other relatively well, coupling devastating blasts and beastly screams with the more ethereal tones. Still, there’s the dull dissonance of Deathcore and its jerky patterns, as on the vindictive I Live… AGAIN! which once again combines its viscerally opposed roots to create catchy passages at full speed in the company of Nick Miller (First Fragment, Unleash the Archers, ex-Killitorous) or moshparts where clean vocals dominate. A Quest for Truth offers more room for Power Metal elements at first, but a few howls persist, as does the latent darkness that corrupts the central break before the joyful solo. A final heady chorus, and the band offers us a moment of latency with Whisper on the Wind, a power ballad that starts out rather slow and melancholy, then becomes more motivating with time, offering a duet with Lauren Coleman before joining Fear and Hunger, a final composition that starts out in 8-bit before releasing all its power. The track alternates perfectly between its rage, accessible passages and a few samples to become a kind of improbable but still incredibly effective climax, especially on the moshpart.
Incongruous and surprising but ultimately extremely addictive, Dragoncorpse‘s dubious mix proves to be a breath of fresh air for both styles on The Fall of House Abbarath. It may not appeal to purists, but it’s there!
80/100