ALBUM REVIEW: Digital Apocalypse – A Night In Texas

Australian deathcore merchants A NIGHT IN TEXAS return with a new vocalist for their fourth full-length album. After the departure of Ethan Lucas, the band were somewhat quiet, but behind the scenes they were in the studio cooking up Digital Apocalypse. 

Bouncing back after some time of not releasing music and losing a band member is always a difficult thing to do. Some bands come back stronger while others can be a shell of their former selves. A NIGHT IN TEXAS have mostly come back stronger, although there are some moments of change that don’t quite fit.

In the sea of a new rising deathcore bands from Australia, A NIGHT IN TEXAS stand tall as one of the pillars of consistent technical deathcore export, and with newly appointed vocalist Sam Cameron taking the reins on this album, many people were wondering how he’d be able to surpass the band’s previous offerings in terms of vocal delivery. On album opener Programmed To Suffer you’ve got layers of winding synths and technically precise guitar riffs from dual string men Cory Judd and Angus Gasson as Cameron’s vocals shift from thunderous growls to feral shrieks with ease. 

Drummer Anthony Barone unleashes his full potential on The Destruction Of Everything with his lengthy double kicks behind the crunchy guitars and demonic vocals. Following the trend of various deathcore bands there are a few background symphonic vocals that just intensify the songs to another level. Throughout the rest of the album the band cross the lines between deathcore and djent with their technical sides sometimes overpowering the songs they’re playing before returning to the one-note-power chords that break your neck in seconds. 

While the album itself from front to back is great and has some brilliant moments, there are a few things that don’t fit. The change in production is the main thing you’ll notice. Previous albums sound clear, while Digital Apocalypse sounds muddy and does often drown out some of the best background guitars on the album. And while it does add a layer of DIY production to the vocals that makes it feel rougher, some of Cameron’s highs get drowned out in the mix which is a shame because his highs are glass shattering. 

Still, even with a few down moments, it doesn’t change the fact that Digital Apocalypse is a great debut for Cameron, and a huge follow-up for the band. 

Rating: 7/10

Digital Apocalypse is set for release on August 2nd via Unique Leader Records.

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