Rings of Saturn - Godless Times (USA-CA, 2014)
Say what you will about aliencore being a gimmick (yeah fair) or Lucas Mann being a jerk (by all accounts that’s true); this album (clearly their strongest) is solid technical deathcore.
Bonus: managed one more “Of” this week!
I should have known RoS would elicit some opinions, ha. But yeah I know exactly what you mean! I frequently have a similar reaction to some recommended release, where all the members are playing the hell out of their parts, but some stylistic choice just isn’t right for me. Much like for you it’s the balance/fit, I’ll be weirded out by the mix, or an unusual vocal style (see Spite as a deathcore example), or OSDM drums that keep distracting from everything else.
Thanks for chiming in! This makes me curious now, especially since tech death is a less-listened subgenre for you: what are some of your AOTY picks? One of my favorite things about metal communities is getting fresh input from fans with a different perspective than me, I tend to end up with discoveries I wouldn’t have made on my own.
Will I get moshed on if I recommend Dying Fetus’ newest? Make them beg for death. I know a lot of people don’t really think of them as technical, but I think they fit, and that album is balls out.
Xoth, Ecogalactic is pretty damn tight as well, imo. Again, though, not always seen as techdeath, since they’re a bit thrashier.
Ah I really gotta give the new Dying Fetus another shot. It didn’t resonate on first listen, but everyone seems to love it.
But Xoth absolutely slaps, that’s making my top 10 for sure. Thrash-influenced death can be a lot of fun.
I just realized I forgot what is my favorite album of the year, from any genre.
Kataklysm dropped Goliath this August. I’m fucking obsessed with the album. Enough so that I’m kinda amazed I didn’t mention it before. I guess I was just thinking along the tech and aliencore style of things, and kataklysm is more melodeath overall.
But, if you haven’t heard it, it’s a must listen. Bringer of vengeance is my favorite track on it.
Yeah! I’m not as familiar with melodeath, but that one definitely caught my attention, I just haven’t spent as much quality time with it as others. I’m hoping that’ll help expand my horizons into melodic the way Ophidian I did with TDM coming from deathcore.