Irish band WORDS THAT BURN have been around since sometime around 2011, with one EP and two studio albums to their name so far. “Pyres” is their most recent offering, and was released in the first half of June 2019.
Modern metal is a word that pops up on regular occasions when reading up on this band, and I think that is a rather apt description. One may have plenty of opinions about their music, but it is strikingly contemporary. If it will retain that impression a decade from now is probably a pertinent question, but as of the early summer of 2019 this sounds very much like a band in touch with the times they are living in.
A core feature of the band is the alternating use of lead vocals oriented towards a -core type of delivery on one hand and clean, melodic lead vocals on the other. A secondary vital ingredient is the use of tight riffs backed by synthesizer textures, and a third the frequent use of hard, heavy and dark toned bouncy riff movements of the kind that makes me think of the word twang – and in this case gives me associations towards both djent and grunge for some reason. If my associations are correct probably another good question.
The band moves with some elegance between the different varieties of rock and metal that makes up their expansive canvas, adding some delicate post-rock moments here and majestic keyboards and guitar arrangement that tips a hat towards classic era Dream Theater there. Intense riff barrages with something of a thrash metal feel to them appear on occasion, and there’s also room for gentler interludes with something of an ambient feel to them as well as more metalcore oriented aggressive passages.
While Words That Burn does provide some occasional breaks, the greater majority of this album is high intensity and high energy material, and often with a loud and monumental sound. Melodic too for sure, although that orientation is a guest rather than an ever present feature. But the monumental aspects of this album is what makes the greatest impression overall, to the point of becoming ever so slightly overpowering as a matter of fact. Then again, being in my late 40’s I have perhaps become a tad too old to feel this more modern variety of metal as I should.
Modern metal is an often used description about this band, and I do agree that this is a good description. This is intense metal, with a heavy footprint and a demanding intensity, yet also with room for features of a gentler and arguably even more progressive nature. A metal album that to my ears have 2019 written all over it, for better or for worse depending on point of view and, presumably, age.
My rating: 80/100
