Band's List Melodic Death Through Plagues From The Depths

Australia is the land where great extreme metal bands such as Destroyer 666, Nazxul, Pestilential Shadows and the likes hail from, and my knowledge of Aussie bands are limited to bands of this end of the spectrum. Through Plagues hails from Australia and they are probably the first melodic death metal/metalcore band out of that land that I encounter, and From the Depth is their debut EP.

The album opens with an intro with the sound of the breeze and the waves gently rushing to the shore, accompanied by the sound of thunder in the background, setting up the mood for the album. As the song transits into the next track, Goddess of the Sea (now we know what the intro was all about!), the listener is introduced to a razor sharp sounding riff, followed by vocalist Luke's shrieks and growls, displaying his vocal range, and also one of the elements that made this album an interesting listen. The transition to soft, acoustic guitars at 1:30 and the entry of the guitar solo at 1:45 is reminiscent of bands such as old Atreyu, displaying the slight metalcore influences in the songwriting. However, fret not as such displays of influences are minimal and the usual breakdowns and whiney lyrics that are usually associated to metalcore are hardly present. Drummer Pete's work is also impressive as he never fails to keep up with his fast and precise hand and footwork, setting up the aggressive and intensive pace for the music.

The sharp and polished production quality is certainly suitable for Through Plague's style of music, ensuring that nothing is buried too deeply in the mix, and upping the enjoyment factor of the album.

The lines between melodic death metal and metalcore are constantly blurred, with most bands playing this form of music sounding confused as to where they want to stand. Fortunately for Through Plagues, they have clearly defined what they want to be, with the melodic death metal edges being more prominent than their metalcore influences.