Stormhaven is a progressive death metal band haling from Toulouse, France, and back in May the quartet put out their debut album titled “Exodus.”
The album contains strong blasting riffs, which are otherwise inherently catchy and actually suit the vocalist incredibly well. They are bludgeoning when paired with vicious screams and brutal gutturals of Zach and Regis. They simply have such an intense level of passion and energy, like they pour their hearts and souls into the music. The best example of this can be heard throughout the album, but as highlights I would mentioned the opening three songs, which form the Exodus triptych.
The masterful use of the heavy verse/melodic chorus style of songwriting makes this album incredibly varied. “Exodus” is all about balance of heaviness and melody. The instrumentation on the album is brought to perfection, and although the band’s technical skills are easy to notice, the band members work in favor of displaying a balance between masterful craftsmanship and performance.
“Exodus” is one of those albums that is just as good the first time you listen to it as it is the fiftieth. It's one of those rare cases where it never gets old, yet it doesn't take any time to grow on you. Whether you're a seasoned metal listener or someone who is just discovering heavy music, this album will appeal to you in some way or another. It's incredibly technical and precise in its execution, yet it allows enough melody in to keep it from sounding like a typical instrumental wank fest.
The album is available here.
Post a Comment