Aversions Crown -Xenocide (Album Review)

Posted on January 21, 2017 by walladmin

Aversions Crown – Xenocide

Released: January 20th 2016 via Nuclear Blast

Aversions Crown Line up —

Mark Poida // Vocals

Chris Cougan // Guitar

Jayden Mason // Drums

Mick Jeffery // Guitar

Aversions Crown Online —

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It has been three years since the monster of an album that was Tyrant was unleashed onto the world, blowing speaker systems and minds alike, but the question remains: does upcoming Xenocide continue Aversions Crown’s streak of delivering crushing, rending death metal?

My aching, broken neck can attest that it does indeed.

It’s only January but Aversions Crown have set the bar high for deathcore/metal releases. Sounding heavier than ever before has not impeded their songwriting capability, as album opener ‘Void’ expresses an almost cinematic feeling; a slowly revolving spaceship in the depths of space, glimpsing the flashing stars and glint of satellites as they zoom by. However, this calm is quickly shattered as the monstrous machine that is Jayden Mason begins pounding away on the drums. Lightning fast and scarily precise, the toms and kicks slam into your body, almost crushing ribs. ‘Hybridization’ has some of the smoothest drumming known to man, thanks to this man.

This is not to say that other areas are not instantly breathtaking, oh no! It would be an understatement to describe the guitar work on this album as anything other than awe inspiring and simply… heavy as fuck. The riffs of single ‘Erebus’ rip through your body like debris hurtling at the speed of light through the depths of space. The interplay between Chris Cougan and Mick Jeffery raises the calibre of every song from average deathcore song to something to deconstruct and gawp at. ‘Ophiophagy’ is another stand out track, being the result of feeding Meshuggah and Carnifex through a laser beam; every riff forces you to either headbang uncontrollably or scream along with Mark Poida’s throat shredding vocal hooks.

Unlike previous album Tyrant, the vocal performances on Xenocide are varied to the point of incredulity. Soul splitting highs and fear inducing lows rage back and forth vying for dominance on every track. Mark Poida brings a lot to the overall sound and cohesiveness of the album, further cementing the unique sound that is Aversions Crown of today. Lyrically, Poida paints a pretty disgusting portrait of aliens, massacre and despair that erases all thought except the need to mosh (not to mention pleasuring yourself with severed limbs. Awesome!). Further new additions include moments of ambience; much like the first track; periods of soft tones or static ridden clips punctuate gaps where the listener is able to breathe and brace for the next onslaught. This not only is change in songwriting but it is a very welcome addition.

Overall, a new maturity in songwriting has descended upon the band. They have chosen to inject much more technicality into their music, straying away from the various forms of breakdown that plague the genre. When a breakdown hits in Xenocide, it fucking feels like a xenocide. Species die. All because they feel unique and deserved. Album closers ‘Misery’ and ‘Odium’ are the key examples to listen to these traits. Both songs wreak havoc on your ears with beautifully crafted riffs and interludes before slowing right down into a breakdown so heavy it could rival a black hole in the light it crushes.

Despite the band’s catalogue of amazing tracks, every single song on this album feels lightyears more advanced. Aversions Crown have released something out of this world with Xenocide, a technical, precise and monstrous album that leaves a hard year ahead for their brethren.