ALBUM REVIEW: Cycle Of Suffering – Sylosis

It speaks to the absurd quality of SYLOSIS that despite Josh Middleton‘s pivotal role in 2018’s sublime ARCHITECTS record Holy Hell, his greatest personal achievements have always come from his original band. Returning from a four year hiatus, there’s an argument to be made that Cycle Of Suffering is the most important record that the four piece have ever concocted. With lead songwriter Middleton now a full member of ARCHITECTS: a drop in quality here may well have signalled the end for the band he cemented his name in.

Take one look at SYLOSIS‘ (and therefore Middleton‘s) track record though and you’d soon realise though that any potential fears were ill-placed. And Cycle Of Suffering delivers on the kind of grand scale of thrash you simply don’t tend to come across often in the modern day. This is a record that both modernises, and pays homage to the greatness of heavy metal, and thrash more specifically.

Tracks like Empty Prophets and Idle Hands not only capture the band’s frenetic pace, but sonic intricacy too. Both Middleton and Alex Bailey put in a brutalising, shred heavy performance here, able to flicker from punishing breakdown to jaw dropping solo almost instantaneously. It’s a theme that runs throughout Cycle Of Suffering, the quartet have never sounded so accomplished, without losing a solitary fraction of what has made them such a special outfit to begin with.

But it’s on Shield where you get a real insight into what this record is truly capable of. Part thrash monster, part metal headbanger, part rock anthem singalong – it almost defies logic. With a heart bursting chorus in its arsenal to boot: this is the track that defines SYLOSIS‘ versatility, you’d be pushed to think of another band in the thrash spectrum that would be able to pull something like Shield off with the same level of aplomb.

While this is undoubtedly an album that purists will love, there’s no fan servicing at play here though, and that’s possibly the ace in the hole for Cycle Of Suffering. Middleton has gone on record to confirm most of the tracks on the LP have been recorded for some time: this unequivocally much more than a simple throw away album to keep fans interested. A point epitomised by closing track Abandon, which offers a more ethereal, stripped back element of SYLOSIS which we rarely come across, but it’s no less brilliant.

Admittedly it can feel like somewhat of a disservice to the other members of the band when the praise for what SYLOSIS have achieved gets pointed solely in Josh Middleton‘s direction. But the fact is: he takes such a large role in the proceedings you just can’t help yourself. Yes, Cycle Of Suffering has layers of brilliance from the entire band, but the true genius, concept, and piecing together of the record is once again captained by Josh. SYLOSIS continue to be one of the great metal outfits of the 21st century, and Cycle Of Suffering is another feather in the cap of one of the great musicians, and songwriters of the last two decades.

Rating: 8/10

Cycle Of Suffering is set for release on February 7th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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