Undrask – Battle Through Time

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The Swedish melodic death metal scene of the 90s is responsible for producing some of the greatest records in extreme metal history, such as The Gallery by Dark Tranquillity and Slaughter of the Soul by At The Gates. As is the case with every genre, there have been quite a number of bands influenced by the pioneers of melodic death metal, particularly in the United States with bands like Killswitch Engage and All That Remains. It’s rare, however, to hear a band that plays the sound so well that they sound like the originators, rather than imitators, but that’s exactly what Undrask have done with their latest release, Battle Through Time.

If you were to listen to Battle Through Time without having read anything about Undrask, chances are you would assume they were from Gothenburg, Sweden, and not, in fact, North Carolina. With flashy, lead guitar bits permeating every crunchy, distorted riff, Undrask play the kind of melodic death metal that put In Flames (particularly their early material) on the map. “Conscripted” is a perfect example, with its heavy, chuggy riff accompanied by catchy lead guitar bits that sound like the twin-guitar attack of classic bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The vocals are growled, but have more range than most bands playing this style, with mid-ranged growls, to higher pitched shrieks, and everything in between, giving the music another boost in the heaviness department. “Black Ocean” is another particular favorite of mine, with its progressive rock-influenced time signature changes, and brutal riffs that quickly switch to a more melodic tone seamlessly.

The production and musicianship on Battle Through Time are both top-notch, though they’re not entirely without flaw. “Final Right,” for instance, has a little guitar and bass section where the two musicians trade off licks, and while the technical prowess is impressive, the execution comes off as a little forced. Still, there is plenty of excellent material here to keep that one section from being a distraction. If you enjoy early In Flames or Amon Amarth, Undrask is certainly worth your time.

Undrask – Battle Through Time
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Bradley
Bradley
Born and raised in Central Texas, audiophile from a very early age. I've been a longtime fan of all things heavy, starting from hardcore and working my way up into nearly all sub-genres of metal. My Dad gave me an appreciation of metal, blasting Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Pantera, and everything between while I was a kid. I play in a band right now, and listen to an almost unhealthy amount of music daily. Favorite genres: Doom, sludge, drone, black metal, grindcore.
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