ALBUM REVIEW: Premonitions – Deadthrone
Flying the flag high for the UK’s northwest, DEADTHRONE have arrived with their debut LP. From their Manchester-based camp, their very own brand of uber-diverse metalcore hits with a bang, screaming for attention in a genre that often feels worn out and drab. The band formed in 2016, and after gaining exponential success on the live circuit, they released their first EP To Hell And Back, a blistering offering that showed a glimpse of their lives at the time. Fast forward to 2019, and Premonitions is their medium – an album that bulges with their signature catchy choruses and volatile aggression. What’s more, the exciting part is that in this outing, they have added yet more strings to their bow.
In the modern musical era, the ease by which bands can stagnate is almost frightening. Standing still is a no-go in the race to constantly develop and build on past success, and as gluttonous fans, we are used to being treated to constantly evolving and adaptive sounds. DEADTHRONE understand this, and with Premonitions they have fought hard to mould their approach and offer something refreshing and new. Album opener Feel instantly shows this evolution. Starting out in an electronic haze that is immediately reminiscent of BRING ME THE HORIZON‘s Sempiternal, clean vocals lead forwards before a metalcore growl barges into the foreground. The focus here is atmosphere as opposed to being brash, making use of soft hooks that allow the track to charge on.
Runaway follows in its predecessor’s wake, continuing the lush ambience. The absence of any real riffs leave the early sections feeling a little empty, but the chorus offers a catchy, uplifting mood, and emotive, THE AMITY AFFLICTION-esque playing is a welcome nudge towards the tasteful. With diversity in mind, DEADTHRONE up the ante with Revival, a track that stands as one of the record’s most bruising. The chorus still soars a la CROWN THE EMPIRE, but this time, heavy riffs slam upon the melodic guitar, and the drums feel more battering. Time Won’t Wait is a step back towards the refined, but as with earlier tracks it falls into danger of being a little obvious. The verses are a little flat, and although the choruses are likely to lodge themselves firmly into the listeners skull, they lack a certain level of detail that the very best might possess.
It’s a shame that consistency doesn’t seem to be DEADTHRONE‘s strong point, because when they are on form, they are a force to be reckoned with. Take Hearts In Our Hands, a track built from the WHILE SHE SLEEPS instruction manual. Here the layering feels more textured, and as wailing guitar drips around pummelling riffs, the band’s token blend of clean vocals and screams combine with more authority. Here is firm evidence that DEADTHRONE are a highly capable band, but the execution isn’t always perfect. That being said, there are plenty of moments likely to keep many a listener occupied and impressed. The intro to Soothsayer ripples with electronic elegance, and closing track Seven Years sees out the album in cathartic style.
In all, DEADTHRONE have written an album that seeps potential, but doesn’t quite live up to the quality that could have been imposed by them at this stage in their career. For a band that possess so much live energy, it would have been nice to see a little more of this transpire into the record, perhaps allowing it to feel a little more impactful as opposed to clinically produced. However, given that this is the Manchester clan’s debut outing, it certainly makes for an impactful arrival, and marks them as a band we should all keep our eyes on. DEADTHRONE boast some serious potential, they just need to dig a little deeper to find it next time round.
Rating: 7/10
Premonitions is out now via Arising Empire.
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