It\u2019s 2025, and the polarizing genre known as deathcore is still alive, well and kicking. Impending Doom continue to release a string of EP\u2019s and are teasing at a new album, Voluntary Mortification have established themselves as the new kings of ultra-brutal deathcore, and Cleansing the Temple are putting out some terrifying stuff. But there is another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hailing from the same place as Impending Doom (Riverside, California), (UN)WORTHY seem poised to become one of the next big bands in the scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look. As readers of Heaven\u2019s Metal<\/em> probably know by now, I\u2019m not the most die-hard deathcore guy. I enjoy it from time to time, and Impending Doom\u2019s Nailed. Dead. Risen.<\/em> is one of my favourite metal albums of all time, but there\u2019s something about the genre I just can\u2019t seem to connect with. Perhaps it\u2019s the hardcore element, the tough guy Biohazard vibes, or maybe it\u2019s just that the breakdowns become all too predictable. But I do have to say that I\u2019ve been quite impressed with the current crop of deathcore acts as of late, (UN)WORTHY being one of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From the Belly of the Beast<\/em> is the band\u2019s first release as a five-piece band, and it pulls exactly zero punches. Outside of the one\u2019s directed at your ears, of course. (UN)WORTHY\u2019s sound lies within a similar realm to the monolithic approach of Impending Doom\u2019s Death Will Reign<\/em> album – oppressive, dark, and yet atmospheric somewhat as well. Vocal work on here is refreshingly varied for a deathcore record, veering from the deep roars to feral, blood-curdling snarls such as those heard on the title track. The first two tracks are definitely modern deathcore by the numbers with a heavy edge, but I can\u2019t deny the passion on display here. The title track is the highlight, boasting some of the freakiest sounding deathcore vocals I\u2019ve yet come across. Only the last track, \u201cJudgement Denied,\u201d gets a pass from me; just me, but the melodic riffing and robotic, pitch-shifted vocals take away from this band\u2019s overall intensity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lyrically, this little EP is essentially a deathcore retelling of the book of the prophet Jonah, from his prophetic call to his infamous attempt to escape his destiny and subsequent swallowing by a fish, right up until his anger at God for not punishing the people of Nineveh. It\u2019s a bit of an odd book for a deathcore band to take up as a lyrical focus, at least at first, but I have to say that the emphasis in Jonah on his anger makes some sense in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, if you\u2019re a deathcore devotee, I think (UN)WORTHY are definitely worthy of your attention. It might not do anything especially new with the style, but what it does, it does very well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Fans Of: Impending Doom, With Blood Comes Cleansing (later), Thy Art is Murder, Lorna Shore<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n