Take Falling From Grace for example. They look young and the band is only in existence for two years but they already sound like a full-blown thrash/death metal band. This e.p. is their second effort after a demo in 2014 and shows a band that has been working hard. In their biography, they call it 'groove metal' and to some extent they could be right but they lift up the level to new extremes.
The e.p. opens with 'Pathetic Perfection', a killer track combining Slayer with Children Of Bodom and pouring a thick metalcore sauce over the whole, especially in the brutality of the vocals. 'Machine' follows a similar path: fierce death metal, played at an immense paste and a tremendous in-your-face sound. 'Abandoned Hope' takes thinks a bit slower, and actually groovier, but is in no way less intense.
After that, the tempo goes way up again and the band blast their last bits of brutality through my already tormented speakers. In fact, the tempo regulary changes within the songs, bringing enough variation to remain enjoyable. Closer 'Blind Belief' incorporates some hardcore punk influences as well, becoming my favorite track on this e.p.
I can clearly see this provoke brutal moshpits and walls-of-death wherever Falling From Grace performs live. This is extreme metal for both the old and the new generation, perfectly combining old school thrash and death metal with a modern day metalcore sound. This is a highly destructive force, hopefully coming soon to a festival or venue near you.
Serge