ALBUM REVIEW: Resurgence – Perpetua

Since forming in 2013, Edinburgh quintet PERPETUA have been hard at work getting their name out there in the metal community and locally. After two EPs and many shows in Scotland, they now aim for the next level with their debut full-length album Resurgence, hoping to solidify themselves in the Scottish metal ranks while also growing in a more “technical and melodic” direction.

Resurgence opens with an instrumental intro track that dramatically sets up Resolve, a technical and heavy track that front-loads itself with the various talents of those involved. From the moment it kicks in, it fires on all cylinders – deep bass grooves come to the forefront over visceral vocals and guitar work that constantly changes direction and maintains interest. PERPETUA boast both SYLOSIS and GOJIRA as influences on this record, and the former can immediately be heard in their style, though there are elements at play that keep it from being a direct comparison. The Hell It Brings does a similarly good job of establishing their versatility as a band, taking things in a more metalcore direction for its opening section in particular.

PERPETUA are less so an act that can’t make their minds up stylistically than they are an act that want to do it all and do it well. Tethered opens in a purely thrash metal fashion, and the rapid guitar squeals near the halfway point prove the intention behind this decision. There’s a crushing heaviness to the instrumental work on this track, and there is more than just a hint of GOJIRA in these heavier moments. The GOJIRA in their hearts fully breaks free on Overcome, which churns and stomps its way along, punctuated ever so often with similar guitar scrapes and natural harmonics to those who inspired them.

On the back half of the album, tracks like Human, Trapped Mind and Forsaken return to a more metalcore sound, dialling down the more technical and progressive elements and landing somewhere between (older) ALL THAT REMAINS and BLEED FROM WITHIN. Things comparatively slow down on This Is Retribution, albeit not for long, as the churn of heavy riffs and steady drumming builds magnificently in intensity before the even heavier pay-off lands. Their tendency towards the style that SYLOSIS have developed returns by the end, closing out with the ferocious yet melodic Alone In The Static.

Debut albums can often be a troublesome thing to crack, but PERPETUA have produced a solid one with Resurgence. There are particular grooves where they excel, especially their melding of metalcore with more technical metal, but they are able to make sure that their formula doesn’t stagnate with enough dashes of their other metal interests. Their individual and group strengths are well-utilised throughout, and as a result Resurgence hits the spot between being fresh and comfortably familiar.

Rating: 7/10

Resurgence is set for release on March 22nd via Seek & Strike.

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