From their self-released debut album, Remnant of Humanity, From Sorrow To Serenity showed they have what it takes to sit alongside comfortably with their peers in the Metalcore/Djent scene. Almost three years has passed on from then and with that time has come growth as they’ve risen through the ranks, supporting the likes of Chelsea Grin and Veil of Maya.
What musical progress have the band made for their sophomore release, Reclaim (Long Branch Records) and does it live up to their first efforts?
Opening track ‘Denounce’ is the perfect introduction to the band. Thunderous, Meshuggah-esque riffs fill the room: the perfect mixture of bone-shatteringly heavy, alongside the technical precision that any djent band needs to shine. Gaz King joins the frenzied foray as he spits down the microphone his caustic cries, sounding like it could fit in with Heart Of A Coward’s discography. While their sound may not be new, the gusto of their performance puts that worry to rest instantly.
Whilst on the outside the album seems like your general Metalcore album, there’s much more hidden under the surface the deeper you voyage into the depths of Reclaim. ‘Inside A Soul’ demonstrates this perfectly bringing on influences from the latest Parkway Drive album as dark spoken words accompanies the screams, adding a haunting effect to the track.
The riffs created aren’t the only powerful thing present in the album. Strongly politically charged lyrics feature throughout the release, especially in track ‘Supremacy’ speaking about the negative side of fighting for king & country. King repeats several times “I suffer for your supremacy!” and, unlike some bands, it doesn’t feel forced or fake due to the powerful and emotive performance that rivals the big-hitting bands today displaying pure fire and passion.
Reclaim hasn’t discovered a new sound that will ripple across the genre, but it doesn’t need to. From Sorrow To Serenity has pushed their own boundaries with darker sounding influences, whilst keeping the chunky riffs to boot.
8 / 10
CHARLIE HILL