If you are anything like me, hearing "Swedish Metal" is enough to excite you. Despite's new release, "EPic", certainly lives up to these expectations.
"EPic" is the third album by these Swedish rockers (their first with vocalist Peter Tuthill), and their experience in the field is evident, as the album is masterfully produced. "EPic" is truly a great listen for any metalhead. It features elements of newer metal, combined with those of death metal, and is absolutely hard hitting all the way through. Oscar Nilsson on drums manages to remain extremely heavy while setting the pace throughout the entire album, while André Gonzales and Timmy Leng on guitar experiment with different riffs and sounds. The guitars compliment each other extremely well on this record. More than often one will set the atmosphere, while the other hammers out a heavy riff, which is accented well by Matte Dagge on bass. Any solo work found on the album is superb as well, making the record a diverse compilation of guitar styles.
The intro to the first track, "As You Bleed", sounds like it would be found on a Meshuggah record, and is followed by powerful vocals. This really kicks off the album well, hitting the listener with a dose of heavy right from the start. The chorus gives off more of a modern hard rock vibe in certain aspects, but the song never takes a full turn, changing between the two multiple times. The next track on the album, "Awakening", starts out with an immensely fast intro, followed by an equally speedy verse, with great variation in both guitar and drum work. The rest of the song keeps this pace, save the chorus, which once again takes on a more modern rock feel. "Unexceptional", the third track on the album, keeps a constant, slower tempo throughout the entire song, but is equally as heavy, and contains very creative guitar work and a very catchy chorus. "Give Me Life" is a headbangers paradise. Whether it's the quick paced riffs throughout the song, or the heavy, djent-like parts, you're almost guaranteed to move to this song. "Sanctum Falls" is hard hitting while also communicating the theme and feel of the song, primarily through the vocals and the solo, my favorite solo of the album. A song with such substance is a phenomenal ending to the record.
"EPic" is a great display of Despite's varied skill set. While some parts can get a bit dry, and some structures are repeated, it is still a well made record and an enjoyable listen.
You can listen to "EPic" on ReverbNation, and pre-order it here for its official release in early 2014.
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