American melodic death metal band Dystopia A.D. issue their second recording "Rise of the Merciless"

Opeth fans will be interested to know that this U.S. melodic progressive extreme band from New Jersey lifts the song "Harvest" (from the Swedish band's 2001's album Blackwater Park) during their title track of this recording. The Opeth part comes in at 3:24 and fans will be able to recognize it immediately without any delay or problems. It's not like the band is trying to hide it. It's a tip of the hat to old Opeth, a thank-you note, if you will.

Fans of death metal that is progressive in a non-core, non-groove, non-djent way might like the sound of this band. There are some abrupt changes and parts, and while it is true that not everything works very coherently (You could criticize the title track for begin too much a cut-and-paste song that could have transitioned better into the Opeth part, for instance, given that you can definitely hear the cutting and pasting as the Opeth section begins), there are also plenty of instances that show that band is making an attempt to liven up their death metal, and for that, they should get credit. They could play death metal by the numbers (nothing wrong with that), but they choose to do some things differently, and that's also a good thing. Just listen to the song "Nomad" to hear a track representative of the band (Yes, you will also notice the Opeth influence, in the deep growl, and feel of the song).

This is apparently a DIY duo: Chris Whitby (vocals, guitars, bass) and Aki Shishido (guitars), with presumably programmed drumming (it does not sound like real drums on the recording). The quality of the recording is relatively clear, and there should not be much to complain about, except for the shortcoming of the drumming situation.

ABOUT: Many naysayers claim that there is nothing new under the extreme metal sun, that the genre has reached saturation. These people have clearly never heard Dystopia A.D., the two-man band from New Jersey blending progressive and technical death metal with unexpected elements from many other genres. Their second album, Rise of the Merciless, sees project mastermind Chris Whitby and lead guitarist Aki Shishido join forces to produce astounding results. It takes skill to condense your style into a compact format, and opener “Red Sand” is exactly that - the proggy yet heavy riffs and prominent twisting bass lines provide a solid platform for both Whitby’s dazzling harsh and clean vocals and Shishido’s technical wizardry. Once this formula has been set, however, it’s far from business as usual - the remaining five songs showcase experimentation at its fullest. Shishido states: “Every track is uniquely atmospheric and dark and met the mood of life at war incredibly well.” The theme of war is not coincidental - he recorded his sections from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, where he was deployed as a Major in the U.S. Army, and the guitar work reflects the soul and introspection gained from his time there.

Whitby follows up: “There are some ambitious elements that you probably don’t expect to hear on a death metal album, but everything works well together and sounds cohesive.” Such tropes include saxophones, gorgeous acoustic guitars, choirs - all amid the melodic yet furious death metal chaos. “Each song is an adventure for the listener as we explore the themes of the occult, suffering, and insanity.” The lyrics certainly give a lot to chew over, and retain their power whether growled, shrieked, or cleanly sung. Rise of the Merciless shows a band that can stand on their own two feet after the wide variety of guests on Designing Ruin, and create music that will appeal to both those familiar with progressive extreme metal and also draw in new listeners to the genre.

Rise of the Merciless by Dystopia A.D.