Metal Track of The Week: It's Djent Time

Is djent still used as a colloquial term, or do we now recognise this as a genuine genre? Often rather than using potentially a dirty word in djent, progressive metalcore is common the word of choice. I find that a little weird, how progressive metalcore can be a genre. The word progressive identifies movement, taking something forward. Going beyond the expected, the established. So identifying a genre as progressive is a bit of an oxymoron if you ask me. Maybe we just go back to using the seemingly lost label of math metal? Forgive the rambling, but as we have more and more progressive/djent inspired tracks each week I thought it worth my 2 cents.

Speaking of which, how long until the 6 string guitar becomes a niche market, where 7+ strings once were? Within the world of metal anyway. The sonic opportunity opened up by the extra metal wires is spread all throughout the metal world now. Not just in the nu-metal chugging style when 7 strings became widely established in heavy metal. Kicking off the djenty boom boom, we get a brand new track from Fit for a King and Silent Planet. Well actually, in a fresh idea, we get 2 tracks. Each band has lent their vocalist to the other to create a dual release of Trilogy and Stockholm. It works seamlessly. Trilogy is the tech heavy bludgeoning, whilst Stockholm is the pumping orthodox deathcore piece.

More djent for you, Italian progressive metal band Where Stars Collide have released the latest track from their upcoming debut album. Rage kicks off in the most djenty way possible – possibly topping the djenty credentials of the 20 string Mountain Dew guitar. Any more stop starting and we may be thrown into an invite time loop vortex. Our Hollow, our Home continue the djent assault this week with Seven Years (Shine a Light on Me).

Don’t think however the rest of the heavy metal world has gone to sleep this week. There is still plenty to discuss outside the djent laden stew. Titans of power metal Sabaton released the English version of their previously released track Livgardet, now titled The Royal Guard. Unfortunately, releasing the same track in a different language disqualifies it from Metal Track of the Week, but who doesn’t love more Sabaton!

Continuing the power metal odyssey, Finland’s Arion released a new track I’m Here to Save You this week. The former Eurovision contestants hide none of the cheesy dance pop melodies in their work, and certainly not here either. It’s seriously catchy (as intended) and easy to listen to. It’s an entertaining track, and easy to recommend putting on your regular playlist, especially if you need a bit of extra motivation on the treadmill! Why couldn’t Sonata Arctica have become more like this when they turned their back on power metal and turned Europop?

The power metal odyssey contunueth. Greece’s Illusory unleashed their latest single All Blood Red off upcoming album Crimson Wreath. All Blood Red is much closer to an orthodox European power metal style, excluding much of the progressive elements. The opening vocals kind of sound like they are being recorded through a loudspeaker, very tinny and brittle. It caught me off guard at first, but the more I listen to it the more I think it adds a unique feel to the track’s opening and I like it. The variation in the tracks released so far show promise for the upcoming album release.

Sumo Cyco have turned the clock back to 90s pop on latest track Vertigo. It even descends into a Sonic Boom Six style of ska-punk with the short speed rap. Not overly sure what to make of it. It’s certainly catchy, but doesn’t help me in deciding whether to jump on the Sumo Cyco bandwagon yet. I enjoyed previous singles Bystander and No Surrender more, so will be interesting to see how the new album sounds when all in one place. Still chance to make a Cyco out of me yet!

Nu-metal was on fire last week. Another band influenced by the early 2000s nu-metal brigade is France’s Onlap. Their new track The Edge features Linda Batillani from Halflives, and takes me back to the glory days of video game music from the early 2000s. Back when pop punk, butt rock and nu-metal ruled the waves. The Edge would fit right in (this track, not the U2 fella), bouncy, aggressive and melodic. Similarly, Oceans gave us a nu-metal influenced, trap metal track this week with Shark Tooth – featuring Christoph Wieczorek of Annisokay.

More music that sounds like it has stepped straight of the time machine from 2001. Japan’s Crossfaith, sounding like a Rammstein/Billy Talent crossbreed on new track RedZone. Through 4 albums and over 15 years, Crossfaith have managed to keep the same lineup, which is extremely rare across any genre of music. RedZone was written for a video game, based on one of Japan’s most famous military sci-fi anime series, GUNDAM. Does it get any more 2001 than that?

Black Veil Brides get an awful lot of heat from the metal community. Is it the soft edge, face paint, and the hoard of teenage girl fans? Or is everyone jealous that frontman Andy Biersack looks equal part beautiful man and beautiful woman? Alongside the release of their new track Fields of Bone this week, Black Veil Brides announced their forthcoming sixth album Phantom Tomorrow out in June. It’s pretty much classic BVB, soaring vocals and plenty of hooks and an obligatory crowd singalong part.

On to the heavier spectrum with new track From The Ashes by Crypta. Formed from former members of Nervosa and Burning Witches, Crypta take 2 seconds to unleash blackened thrash metal hell on From The Ashes. Nervosa have been killing it lately, and Crypta are not lagging behind one bit. Fast, chuggy, melodic, and with a plethora of great riffs, this a killer display in advance of their debut album release Echoes of the Soul.

Well there is certainly a breadth of standout tracks to pick from this week. I opened up with the djent onslaught hitting us this week, and seemingly every week. But alas another did prevail. For the brutal hit of nostalgia, Crossfaith almost made it to the summit this week with RedZone. However for a debut track, From The Ashes by Crypta is brutal, offers no compromise and is a worthy winner this week. Listen below, neck brace at the ready….

WINNER: Crypta – From the Ashes

Check out last week’s Metal Track of the Week

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