How do you even make a guitar sound like this?????

Holy crap

I often feel like we’ve reached the point in modern metal where things can’t get any crazier. Then I heard Mirar

Got Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson yesterday as a gift from my wife’s grandparents. This is the brand new book in my all-time favorite series, so I’m gonna start today!

Have to shout out this incredible artwork

Once again, this one includes a couple deathcore-style breakdowns and heavy orchestra use, but brings things in a much more melodeath-adjacent direction. Even some elements of power metal make their way in. Truly epic and awesome. This album feels like it was made just to appeal to what I love

Not only does this include the style’s signature heavy breakdowns, melodic riffs, and symphonic elements, but it also blends in a significant amount of clean and operatic vocals that gives this album a unique sound compared to others. This has been one of my most listened this year

Another thing I love here is the implementation of classical elements. A lot of the orchestra and solos take inspiration from classical compositions, with the song Winter even being a full deathcore cover of a Vivaldi song. Super cool

Modern symphonic deathcore is a genre that a lot of people are kind of tired of. A lot of bands are doing the same sort of knockoff Lorna Shore style, but DT really does something more unique. I love it

VOTW is not only awesome overall, but features a strong sense of spacey atmosphere and some melodies that have been stuck in my head for months. If you like your black metal to be more atmospheric and cosmic, give this one a try

This album was such a pleasure the first time through. In a year where many of my favorites are darker, more extreme metal albums, this one filled me with joy. Nobody does this mix of black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock quite like Alcest