Here we got one of the most iconic and known Technical Death Metal bands with their newest effort with the return of their orginal vocalist. Comebacks are always great for bands because they might mean a new restart, therefore, new music. Allegaeon with “The Ossuary Lens” celebrates the return of original vocalist Ezra Haynes. Interestingly, “The Ossuary Lens” is less Technical and more Death Metal than its previous albums. There is some blood in Allegaeon‘s eyes.
About the album guitarist Greg Burgess said the band is “[v]ery guitar-forward, focused melodeath. Over time, I think more technical, symphonic and progressive elements creeped in. Finally, where we are today is all of that combined, added with more ambient elements.” I agree with him with my heart and soul. I feel Allegaeon‘s music is much organic now as if they had nothing to prove. This feeling comes from a band that knows where they belong and feel satisfied with the music they are producing. Moreover, a band that knows who they are. That’s the feeling over the music from “The Ossuary Lens;” Allegaeon know exactly who they are and have nothing else to prove. Confidence helps a band a lot, if you know what I am saying. This confidence allowed the band to produce tracks as “Carried by Desillusion,” with a very melodic start with a very fast drumming interwoven by sometimes melodic clean guitars.
I guess I was used to the other Allegaeon‘s albums whose musical root was the modal phrasal guitar riffing, I mean, the band used to construct their music with intricate and complex guitar phrases built on modal scales which were followed by the bass. “The Ossuary Lens” breaks this spell with other guitar textures confiding more on the drums to be technical and adding lots of melody as says “Dark Matter Dynamics” with its jazzy influences on the acoustic guitars and Melodic Death Metal influences on the guitar playing. Jazz is a kind of hidden influence on Allegaeon as it is hidden into the moods and feelings and intent. The end of “Dark Matter Dynamics” proves this. When I say Jazz, I mean Fusion Jazz, okay?
It’s notable Allegaeon are feeling free to experiment. The acoustic spanish guitar in the beginning of “Imperial” showcases this. I guess the band does not feel obliged anymore to abuse the use of modal scales just to prove their dexterity and ability. It is already proven. “The Ossuary Lens” is free to use more melody as in “Wake Circling Above,” which is almost a dark ballad with slow cadence with the guitars bursting here and there. In “Scythe,” for instance, the band feels free to even add some modern Metal features as they did little by little in all the album.
“The Ossuary Lens” shows a mature Allegaeon that knows exactly what to do and who they are. That’s very positive.
Allegaeon “The Ossuary Lens” was released on April 04th Via Metal Blade Records.
Track Listing:
01. Refraction
02. Chaos Theory
03. Driftwood
04. Dies Irae
05. The Swarm
06. Carried by Delusion
07. Dark Matter Dynamics
08. Imperial
09. Wake Circling Above
10. Scythe
Watch “Wake Circling Above” official music video here:
Source: metaladdicts.com
