Epicurean – A Consequence of Design
Metal Blade Records

(4/5)

With this re-release of 2006’s A Consequence of Design, Epicurean is hitting the Metal scene hard with this Melodic Death metal masterpiece! Although the regular screamed vocals by John Laramy are not all exactly my favorite, the clean vocals sound incredible and his sound definitely fits in with the rest of the band’s sound. As for the rest of the band, everybody sounds great on the album and there are obvious influences from bands like Opeth and some more Symphonic sounding bands like Epica. Overall, I really like what Epicurean has put together as far as sound and overall quality. As far as favorite songs go, I can’t really choose any for the mere fact that they all have something I really like about them. One thing I really like is the fact that there is another newer band out there writing songs over 5 and 6 minutes long. That always helps for a good change of pace when stuck in the monotony of 3 to 4 minute songs. If I had to mention a couple of songs to definitely check out, I’d have to say “Of Malice and Majesty”, “Anathema: The Gate Keeper”, and “To Cast the Mourning Shadow”. These three songs come later in the album, but they all show different styles and influences the band put into the music. As an overall album, I definitely love this album and recommend it to any Melodic Death metal fan!

Soilent Green – Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction
Metal Blade Records

(4.5/5)

Soilent Green is back from a 3 year writing period with a new album, and this album is a force to reckoned with! Compared to their 2005 release Confrontation, Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction has more Death metal influence with more quick and choppy sections that are heavily laden with blast beats provided by drummer Tommy Buckley (also the drummer for Crowbar). On top of the blast beats and other insane drum bits, the vocals laid down by Ben Falgoust (also the vocalist for Goatwhore) fit perfectly with all the music laid down and certainly resemble the stylings of his Goatwhore material. To take this chaotic piece of art to the next level, guitarist Brian Patton (also the guitarist for EyeHateGod) and bassist Scott Crochet (also the bassist for Hostile Apostle) both tear the roof down with their ever changing riffs of different Metal styles and even some Jazz and Blues influence thrown in. Ultimately, this album sows a great mix of the other bands these four guys play in, creating (as mentioned before) a beautiful work of artistic chaos. With all of these influences and sounds brought together, I’d have to give it up to “Mental Acupuncture”, “Antioxidant”, and “All This Good Intention Wasted in the Wake of Apathy”. Honestly, these three songs just stick out to me for their overall quality. The entire album is incredible and flows together perfectly, but those three just stick out a bit over the rest for me. Overall, if you’re looking to get into the New Orleans “Sludge metal” game, check out Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction on Metal Blade Records!