After The Burial – ‘Evergreen’ – 19/04/19
9/10
After the Burial have concocted their unique take on heavy metal, injecting each release with infectious grooves, hypnotic drumming and furious guitar licks that make After The Burial worth paying attention to, their newest release ‘Evergreen’ features this and more.
The intro track ‘Behold The Crown’ has a steady climb with the ominous intro and then dives straight into an entrancing barrage of squealing pinched harmonics, coupled with a guitar riff wedged in-between. This then rages forward with furiously played guitar solos and throbbing drums, moulding it all together into a truly momentous opener. The energy continues on into ‘Exist, Exist’. The main riff embodies a groovy yet commanding edge that no doubt hooks you right into the song. There is a consistency in guitar riff repetition throughout the album but each riff presents a dynamism that leaves them far from boring. A piercing, distorted guitar lick commands the start of ‘In Flux’ which leads the way for the track to charge through at breakneck pace. The drum parts on this album are relentlessly contorting around the chaotic guitar parts to consistently create a dense wall of sound which further establishes the sheer complexity and heaviness of their songs, a trait that keeps After The Burial’s sound constantly full of bravado. The level of playing skill presented is superhuman, the surgical precision of each intricate part and the ability to construct such chaotic, yet riveting tracks consistently and to do it well is something to admire. ‘A Pulse Exchanged’ is a great closer for the album, drawing out that last little bit of madness that the album has presented throughout. After The Burial have put forward another outstanding release that plays on what they know but pump their tracks with enough vitality to keep things fresh.
Review: Steph Evans
