ALBUM REVIEW: Apoptosis – Allegaeon
ALLEGAEON‘s track record has been nothing short of impressive over their 11 year career. Ever since the release of 2010’s debut Fragments of Form and Function, the Colorado shredders have consistently built and expanded upon their brand of technical-driven death metal but it was with the release of 2016’s phenomenal Proponent For Sentience that ALLEGAEON hit the bullseye. The introduction of vocalist Riley McShane alongside their trademark riffing and mind-bending fretwork demonstrated a band firing on all cylinders. Now, three years later, Apoptosis is here, and it has the weight of expectation to not just match but exceed its mighty predecessor.
By definition, apoptosis is the “the death of cells which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth or development”, this is a fitting title for ALLEGAEON‘s new effort. With a reshaped lineup (Brandon Michael coming in on bass for the departed Corey Archuleta) and a tweak to the band’s musical formula, Apoptosis represents ALLEGAEON in their final form. And it’s absolutely glorious.
It all begins with the overtly-technical foray of introductory track Parthenogenesis which does a fitting job in reminding us of the skill within the band’s repertoire before Interphase // Meiosis charges out of the gates with a flurry of intertwining riffing and guttural vocal blasts from Riley McShane. Particularly of note is the lead guitar play, as Greg Burgess instantly excels with a melodic-driven passage that will leave your jaw on the floor. It’s a phenomenal opening to the record and one which sets the bar at a stupidly high level.
From there, ALLEGAEON continue to dazzle and impress. Extremophiles (B) is a dynamic number that showcases the band deploying a barrage of blistering riffing alongside rapid-fire drumming from Brandon Park as McShane switches from his trademark growl to guttural blasts with absolute ease. This rhythm continues until the band flip the sound on its head as a interluding passage of solitary guitar lines and Riley‘s soft cleans ease the listener into a sense of calm before exploding back into life in a triumphant finale. It’s the first case of experimentation on the record and one that comes off as a roaring success.
Indeed, it is these splashes of experimentation that conjure up a listening experience that is utterly exhilarating. Yes, the core dynamics of ALLEGAEON‘s sound are still there and they still pack a punch, The Secular Age is living proof of that and the frantic soloing on Exothermic Chemical Combustion is trademark ALLEGAEON, but the slight tweaking to their formula demonstrates just how fucking good the band are at crafting memorable and gripping songs. An almost mid-tempo chug that features on Extremophiles (A) is a subtle yet impactful touch as it allows you to focus on the complicated lead play whilst the focus on the instrumentals in the early stages of Tsunami and Submergence builds an immersive atmosphere before Riley McShane steals the show with a beautiful dispatch of captivating clean vocals. Speaking of McShane, if his vocal deliveries impressed on Proponent For Sentience, then on Apoptosis, he utterly excels. His range of growls and gutturals are absolutely monstrous and his sporadic, yet beautifully executed, cleans are a thing of wonder. Take the title track for example, a ten minute Goliath. His soaring cleans in the song’s opening moments are simply breathtaking, so wonderfully dispatched that you will find yourself punching the air as they blend into the explosive riffing. It’s moments like this that confirm what a marvel this album is.
Aside from the broadening of their musical horizons, one of the subtle delights of Apoptosis is just how well the record flows. Nothing here feels forced, nothing feels thrown in for the sake of being thrown in. A prime example of this is the short but touching instrumental Colors of the Currents which demonstrates the underlying classical influences and serves a nice stop-gap before the band roar back into life with Stellar Tidal Disruption; a track that features some of the best guitarwork on the album. Often with bands of this nature, the technicality of the guitarwork takes centre-stage resulting in records that feel bloated and repetitive over their duration but here, ALLEGAEON have enough versatility in both their song-structure and pacing of the album to keep you on the edge of your seat. The production is also fantastic, with each element of the band’s frantic sound digestible whilst still allowing the album to feel organic.
From the opening basslines of Parthenogenesis to the bombastic and epic finale that is the title track, Apoptosis is a tremendous offering from ALLEGAEON. With each release up to this point, we have seen ALLEGAEON enhance and expand their soundscape but with Apoptosis, it’s safe to say that the band have perfected their formula. Dynamic and concise, organic yet calculated, brutal but melodic, this is an outstanding album from ALLEGAEON, one which more than confirms their place in the upper echelons of technical metal. This is their magnum opus.
Rating: 10/10
Apoptosis is set for release on April 19th via Metal Blade Records.
Like ALLEGAEON on Facebook.
