Well, this is completely different. I’ve heard, and said it myself, there is nothing new under the sun. Then I experience music like this and realize that maybe we really are all full of shit. Dragoncorpse’s new EP “The Fall of House Abbarath,” is one of the most interesting albums I’ve heard in the second half of this year.
The music contained within the 6 song, 23 minute runtime is one surprising after another. The band takes a myriad of sounds, including deathcore, metalcore, and power metal, throws them into a melting pot and remolds them as something truly creative.
The orchestrations are lush, playful, and just as potent as the heavier elements. The atmosphere of these songs is really special, nailing down a fantastical fantasy element in a playful manner while also being deadly serious. Cleary, the band knows their craft and just how to put together what I assume is a large variety of influences.
The best is that it’s all so seamless and mixed perfectly. This isn’t an album that could be power metal or deathcore. It’s both at the same time yet so much more than either style. So much power metal sounds dated but the band’s modern influences peppered throughout the album keep their music from sounding like it is stuck in the past. So much death/metal core is too mainstream, afraid to take risks so it all sounds the same. This EP is one big risk–and would well worth taking because there are a lot of rewards to reap from it.
The album begins with the intro song, “An Introduction to Heroism” and it sets up the story of the album. I’ve never been good at following the storylines in concept albums so I can’t really tell you what is actually going on but I appreciate the theatrical approach to the intro.
The first proper song is “Welcome Home,” and it’s a banger. It opens with a somewhat folky vibe but the rumbling double bass and fast paced riffs quickly take over. It swirls together within seconds, creating a huge sound. The lead guitar seems to create stories of its own, leading the song into punishing core riffs and crazy growls/screams. Honestly, it’s pretty vicious which is something I feel that both the “core” genres and power metal really need. I’m pretty sure they only have one vocalist—this dude is a monster and does A LOT with his voice.
Of course, just as much credit must be given to the other musicians–the fact they have combined such seemingly different genres into one cohesive force is nothing short of amazing.
“I Live Again,” is a fantastic song with a ton of urgency to it. The vocals claw out in angry might while the melodic guitar builds up with the sweltering double bass before all hell breaks loose. The middle part of the song embraces a density that’s as heavy as the stars but near the end, the song opens up and everything is majestic.
My favorite song is “A Quest For Truth” because I really feel it truly captures the sound of the EP and what the band is going for. If someone asked me for an example of this band’s music, I’d tell them about this song. I love the opening vocal melodies and how easily the cleans transitions to growls and screams. The lead guitar compliments the guitars/bass, offering moments of soaring epiciness and crushing death riffs. The keys go from subtle to sweeping, keeping the song on its toes; I especially like the keys around the three minute mark. The drums building up behind them hooked me immediately and the clean vocals knocked it out of the park.
“Whisper On The Wind,” is a traditional ballad-type song, with gentle cleans and atmospheric keys lacing the atmosphere. It’s placed at just the right moment in the album, offering a respite from the chaos. It’s a catchy song, brushed with emotional storytelling and music that, while quiet, is just as powerful and loud as the rest in its own way.
The final song is the banger “Fear And Hunger.” The beginning is straight up pure fury! The lead guitar grabs hold of the reins and gallops the song into a huge chorus with outstanding cleans. There is a proggy feel in the keys/guitars as they duel it out. The final half of the song smokes with a brutal bridge but slides back into the chorus for the end.
"The Fall of House Abbarath," is an adventurous little album with a ton of heart and never-ending excitement. Before this album, I never thought I wanted epic melodies mixed with breakdowns. I never thought I would want falsetto vocals alongside a modern core approach. But here it is and I want more—this band needs to put out a full-length ASAP.
For some reason, there wasn't an option to embed their bandcamp so here is the direct link:
https://dragoncorpse.bandcamp.com/album/the-fall-of-house-abbarath
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