Anthrocene

Previously, this publication already commented on the first five songs (1-5) of the Anthrocene (Seattle) album Nucleation that will be released on the 28th of June, 2019. Not wanting to make you click too much on stuff, here below you will find said previous article, but at the end you will now find commentary on songs six through 10 (6-10).

Again, the new commentary is for songs 6-10 below. If you already read the previous commentary just scroll down to see the new commentary. Thanks.

Anthrocene sent in their new album Nucleation that will be released on the 28th of June, 2019. Below is some official information about the band and album. Anthrocene is Jesse Mazur and Danny Tormoen on guitars, Matt Ward on drums, Bo Sagal on vocals, and Keith Wyss on bass.

BIOGRAPHY: Hailing from Seattle, Anthrocene has accumulated a sonic arsenal that draws elements from wide-ranging influences across many metal sub-genres, while maintaining a consistent sound and style. Anthrocene performances take listeners on a journey spanning from blackened thrash bangers to neo-classical power metal anthems to melodeath breakdowns. In support of this musical variety, the lyrical content draws from a cautionary world created by singer Boris Sagal, featuring cosmic perils, nihilistic lumberjacks, Slavic oligarchs, space travel, and mole people.

They are ready to take the metal world by storm with the release of their debut album Nucleation. Nucleation is a concept album telling the story of a self-inflicted global conflagration, exploring themes of survival, loss, and transcendence with a sardonic sense of humor. Anthrocene teamed up with Aaron Smith (Jeff Loomis, 7 Horns 7 Eyes, Ghostship Octavius) for mixing, and Caspian Priebe to create a lyrical comic book that accompanies the musical experience.

Anthrocene

Nucleation

release date: 6/28/2019

1.Spirit of the Maelstrom

2.Acceptance of Decay

3.Agent of Chaos

4.Lumberjack Daniels

5.Witness the Sublime

6.Immolator

7.Celestial Steel: The Cursed Black Blade

8.Battle Unseen

9.Defcon 0

10.Taking on the Water

11.Children of the Earth

12.Nowhere to Be

13.Departure of Humanity

14.Surveyor of the Surface

15.Exogenic Eyes

total time: 61 minutes

The most general observation about the 61-minute, 15-track album is how cohesive the various subgenres of this prog power band come together. If one listens to just one segment or even one song, chances are that this cannot provide a good view of the differences in the terrain covered. Given the duration of the album, I have been working my way through it and will do a brief commentary on the songs.

1.Spirit of the Maelstrom. There is a sense of American raucousness to this prog power song. It sounds like prog power but the neoclassical shredding and the bits of extreme vocals hint that there are other components at work. The instrumentation is top notch, and the guitars practically sing melodies. The singing itself has a certain theatrical aspect to it. This song is a good, not-too-complicated way to begin to introduce the album. Personally, I have grown to really enjoy this track.

2.Acceptance of Decay. This track is a roller coaster ride. The theatrical vocals, the growling and screaming. The fury. The breakdowns. All of it. However, the most poignant thing has to be the band’s dare to make a song so anti-anthem. To be sure, there are parts that are repeated, but even after having heard the song at least a dozen times it is still impossible to speak of a chorus. The song seems to have a unique and odd energy because the mind is used to hearing a chorus part of some sort, and in my experience, I don’t feel like there is a big chorus here. This one is more out there in left field. Kind of a twisted little piece, this one.

3.Agent of Chaos. This one sounds a lot easier to grasp. There is a sense that it is more a linear track. The guitars take it easier on the listener and the drumming even sounds like traditional heavy metal grooving, most of the time. (The one negative nitpick here is the prominent potty-mouth word in the song. When bands do this, it means that I cannot play the music to my tribe of children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. No Anthrocene for the children; I guess the kids can keep listening to “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Alexander the Great.”) Anyway, this song is a good rocking time. I find this one to be closer to power metal yet it sounds like melodic death metal; that’s the charm of Anthrocene, friends.

4.Lumberjack Daniels. The bass guitar seems more prominent here. The groove on this track is so easy to get into. The vocals are kind of demented in some places. Mr. Daniels must not be having a wonderful day because he’s kind of ready to rumble. There is a chainsaw involved here, but you’ll have to read the lyrics (I don’t have them) to find out what he is planning to do. A good mix of the various components of the DNA of the band. The melodic thrashing riffs make it easy for headbanging. (I think I heard another potty-mouth word towards the end; this one will also have to be disqualified from children’s listening, too; that’s ok, always keep “Withstand the Fall of Time” handy for the kids.)

5.Witness the Sublime. This is probably the catchiest song so far. The singing is very melodic, but underneath it there is some gremlin growling going on at some points. (The background growling is only slightly distracting, as I would have been 100% satisfied with just the awesome melodic singing.) This seems like the most ear-friendly track. I like the singing and the chorus a lot. The guitar solo sounds really good. It has a bit of guitar hero vibe; like it! I also like the slightly more subdued part, a bridge-like mini-segment in in the solo. Towards the end, the song launches into a faster, double-kicking speed and the more extreme vocals sound perfect for it there. This one should be a hit with all Anthrocene fans.

6.“Immolator”, as the name suggests, is a heavier track in which thrash and death metal come out a bit more and the vocals are also more on the aggressive side. This one is less chorus-centered, and is more focused on heaviness. Here you get those chugging breakdowns for the moshing and the karate chopping in the pit.

7.“Celestial Steel: The Cursed Black Blade” is a more melodic side in comparison to the previous song. The guitar harmonies sing a lot more and the theatrical heavy metal vocals take to the center, and next thing you know the fist-raising anthem vibes have arrived. This song is closer to the more muscular American forms of power metal, with the combination of melodic hooks and the high singing.

8.“Battle Unseen” is a good example of how capable Anthrocene music is. Thrash, power metal, melodic death metal, it all kind of rolls into a single song but coherently, and after a while the elements don’t matter as much as the actual song. Overall, this song shows the band’s heritage in classic-style melodic death metal, with both growling and singing coexisting very well. In this song the rhythm section is highlighted a bit more in some segments.

9.The guitar melodies on “Defcon 0” are inescapable. The song gets heavier towards the middle, but the compact, efficient use of the melodies will make you want to hear it again and see if it’s two guitars or more (not counting the rhythm guitars) doing it. The sense of climbing or spiraling melodies is ear candy.

10.“Taking on Water” uses the chugging, breakdown heaviness more. The song encourages more physical movement with chugging and the breakdowns. It begins in thrashing fashion but that quickly shifts to the grooving for the drumming to do its thing, and it’s the type of song in which other elements (the singing, the guitar melodies, so on and so forth) are good and are present, but the drumming grooves seem more prominent. This track responds to the band’s love of breakdowns, and some moshing or some audience movement should ensue by the melodic death metal and metalcore fanatics.

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