The metalcore sound had its peak, in fact let’s say a peak, about eight or ten years ago, around the time of Killswitch Engage’s The End Of Heartache album. Remarkably in today’s musical climate, it has had a second wind and is fair and square in the centre of attention in the heavy music world right now. Aussie bands are very much at the forefront of that renaissance, with Sydney’s Northlane an integral part of that scene.Listening to their sophomore effort, Singularity, it’s easy to see why.
It’s a beast of an album, bursting with metalcore power and offset with occasional glimpses of soaring melody, in true metalcore style. A lot of these type of bands end up sounding quite similar to one another, and upon one or two perfunctory listens, Northlane are no different, but listen a little deeper and a little longer and subtle differences and nuances begin to appear.
These guys inject slightly more progressive elements into their sound and some more innovative ideas, especially in a rhythmical sense, plus an increased awareness of light, shade and atmosphere (see the excellent first single Quantum Flux for proof). They do it very cleverly, putting just enough of this progressiveness to keep things more interesting without alienating the central metalcore crowd.
Singularity straddles that delicate line between moshable and interesting very nicely and should increase their national and international profile even further.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
Best Track: Quantum Flux
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: THE AMITY AFFLICTION, HOUSE VS HURRICANE, IN HEART’S WAKE
In A Word: Strong
