Sylosis' 'Cycle of Suffering' - Album Review

The Reading-based metal Sylosis were, at one point, hotly-tipped rising stars in the British metal scene. Following a couple of well-received EPs, the band signed to Nuclear Blast Records - one of the biggest metal labels in the world - and released their debut album Conclusion of an Age in 2008. The album was also well-received, but I think it is fair to say that Sylosis as we know them today were born in 2011 - with the release of the progressive behemoth Edge of the Earth which saw the band's guitarist, songwriter, and founding member Josh Middleton step up and take over the-then vacant lead vocalist spot too. From this point, Sylosis became Middleton's baby. While the band has always included lots of other talented musicians, many of whom have stayed in the band for a good number of years, Sylosis has always been driven by Middleton. His riffs make up the bulk of the band's appeal; his signature sweep-picked arpeggios are a cornerstone of the band's sound; and his vocals, which were impressive to start with and have only improved over time, give the band their emotional weight. It is just a shame therefore that, since 2016, Middleton's mind seems to have been everywhere apart from on Sylosis. In retrospect however, it is easy to see why. Sylosis, despite gaining plenty of respect and a modest fanbase, have never really shaken the 'rising stars' tag and that must be hard to stomach - especially when both 2012's Monolith and 2015's Dormant Heart (which I reviewed here) were so well-received. It can be hard for bands to break through that glass ceiling to the next level - and following a co-headline tour with Decapitated in 2016 the band have largely been on ice. This also coincided with Middleton joining up with Architects - a much bigger and more-established metalcore act that, after initially filling in for the late Tom Searle, he officially joined in 2017. Architects' touring schedule has largely been keeping Middleton busy ever since, which was only compounded by the release of their Holy Hell album in 2018. While it was great to see Middleton finally getting the respect he deserved as a songwriter and musician as a part of Architects and the Holy Hell album, it was a shame that this had to come at the expense of Sylosis. Architects are a band that I have never really been able to enjoy, and even Middleton's contributions did not change my mind. It seemed that Sylosis were well and truly dead, which it was why it was a shock last year to read that a new album had been recorded and would be released in 2020. I could not quite believe it, but after five years the band's fifth album, Cycle of Suffering, is finally here and it is fair to say that Sylosis fans the world over are rejoicing. Despite the break, the album picks up where the excellent Dormant Heart left off and further streamlines and tightens up the band's now-signature sound. The album also launched the band's current line-up, with bassist Conor Marshall (Conjurer) joining Middleton, long-time rhythm guitarist Alex Bailey, and drummer Ali Richardson - who also makes his Sylosis studio album debut on Cycle of Suffering despite having been in the band since before Dormant Heart's release. The information in Cycle of Suffering's CD booklet is very sparse however and, reading between the lines, I have the feeling that the album is more of a Middleton solo album than a true Sylosis release. It would not surprise me if, apart from Richardson's drums, Middleton is responsible for everything else that you hear - as well as producing the album and even doing all of the artwork.

The new streamlined Sylosis sound is present from the off, with the album's crushing opening number Empty Prophets really roaring out of the gate with a riff that is instantly-recognisable as one of Middleton's - albeit it with something of a fresh sense of urgency. There is a real heaviness to the early portion of the track, with Richardson's drums creating a chaotic sound, and when the fast-paced verse kicks in Middleton's familiar voice barks the lyrics with real venom. What is apparent from the off, despite a clear streamlining of the band's sound, is just how many riffs are crammed into each song. No one song seems to stand still on one idea for long, so the technicality and progressive tendencies that the band have become known for are still present - they are just presented in a somewhat slicker way. This is certainly the case here, as the track moves back and forth between mid-paced groove-based riffs and pseudo-extreme metal moments that recall their stand-alone 2016 single Different Masks on the Same Face. The song is a great way to introduce the Sylosis of 2020 but, in my opinion, the album really steps up a gear with the lead single I Sever. I Sever opens with a somewhat atmospheric intro, before crushing thrash riff takes over which drives the song's verse - while a fluid and memorable guitar lead sits underneath Middleton's vocals adding depth. There is also something really catchy about the entire track, which is not always easy for a heavy band achieve. The chorus is a real shout-along moment, with subtle gang vocals backing Middleton's roars - and it is clear that the song is going to be a real beast when played live. In many ways, I Sever reminds me a lot of the band's past singles so anyone familiar with Empyreal or Fear the World will certainly find a lot to like here - with the addition of some of the epic soundscapes that cropped up throughout Dormant Heart. The album's title track follows, with a crushing solo drum intro before a juddering riff takes over that really sets the tone for the rest of the track. Many of Sylosis' songs are quite dynamic, with changes in pace and style apparent throughout, but this song is one that is much more straight ahead - with a fast pace maintained throughout and a overbearing sense of thrash. It is fitting that the album's title track is one of the more straightforward songs here, which really helps to introduce the band's somewhat refined approach perfectly. It does however, as do many of the songs here, feature a fair amount of atmospheric depth. Keyboards have never been a big part of the band's sound, but many of the tracks here feature quite dense atmospheric backings - which really helps to add additional depth to the album without drastically changing the band's established ethos. Shield opens with a grooved-based riff, but soon explodes into something much heavier and faster with more thrash-like speeds and relentless drums. Despite this however, there is much more emotional depth to be found here, with a chorus section that really goes all-out on the atmospheric front. The keyboards seem pushed to the fore, and Middleton's voice takes on a much more primal howl - with some choice affects added to it to make him blend into the soaring atmospherics. This depth works really well within Sylosis' core sound; but a great old-school metalcore breakdown and a short, shredded solo soon takes the listener back to the band's early days in a quick break from the new norm.

Calcified, another of the album's singles, is up next and it features a great progressive-sounding guitar lead as the song opens up - before a mid-paced verse takes over with chugging guitar rhythms and a huge bass presence. As with many metal bands on the heavier end of the spectrum, the bass in Sylosis' music is often lost a bit in the mix and is really there to add a little more weight to the overall sound, but the verses here really benefit from the fat bass sound that was chosen. The intro's guitar lead is retained throughout to add extra melody, but on the whole this is a track that seems to be largely based around its chorus for its main hooks. The atmospheric approach from the previous track is retained here too, with the chorus seeing the band slow things down a little to a doomy groove - while Middleton once again howls the vocals in an emotionally-charged manner. Invidia initially seems to be one of the album's more overtly atmospheric pieces, with a slow, brooding intro that sounds like something from your average death/doom album - but it is not long before the peace is broken by one of the album's most potent riffs. That being said, the song is extremely diverse and certainly harks back to the more progressive tracks that the band have written in the past. Some of the riffs are pure thrash, and are packed full of energy, whereas other parts of the song stray into genuine extreme metal territory with Richardson breaking into a black metal-esque blast beat at times - something not often heard on a Sylosis album. It is a song that never seems to want to rest on its laurels, and it showcases Middleton at his most creative. It is fitting therefore that is also contains, in my opinion, one of the album's best guitar solos - with the opening section being fairly restrained, before it descends into a hail of double-tracked arpeggios and lead runs that are packed with flowing melodies. Idle Hands opens in a fairly creepy manner, with heavy rhythms mixing well with clean guitar chimes, but soon morphs into another fast-paced verse backed up by a tight riff. I have always had trouble deciding what subgenre of metal that Sylosis should be placed in, and it is songs like this that give me that headache. There is certainly a lot of old-school thrash to be found in the band's sound, as is apparent throughout the verses, but with a more modern approach informing the vocals along with a clear love of all thing prog and brutal. There are other death/doom shades to be found throughout the track too, with a slower-paced section that again ramps the keyboards up to have them swirl around droning and hopeless-sounding riffs. Sylosis are great at crafting desolate landscapes in their music without ever resorting to common gothic tropes - and this track is a great example of this housed within some fast-paced thrash. Apex of Disdain is a bit more of a straightforward chug, with mid-paced groovy riffing throughout and plenty of weight added by placing the bass high in the mix. Sylosis are at their best when they are injecting progressive tendencies and twists into their songs, but they also do the simple things well. The song actually reminds me a little of Mercy from the band's previous album, a doomy, mid-paced track that mostly stuck to one pace and helped to create a foreboding atmosphere as a result. Apex of Disdain is similar, with a really heavy vibe present throughout - while is further enhanced by the album's strong keyboard presence.

Arms Like a Noose opens with a murky acoustic guitar pattern, a common Sylosis trope but not one that is often employed on this album, before exploding into a strong Trivium-esque riff that soon takes on something of a NWOBHM-style gallop. Given the song's intro, you would be forgiven for assuming the track was going to be quite dense and atmospheric - but on the whole this is one of the album's most aggressive and in-your-face songs, with an abrasive vibe and lots of squealing guitar leads. The band's thrash influences are clearly on display throughout this track, with the fast-paced shredded solos coming straight out of the 1980s thrash rule book; while other parts of the song recall the heavier end of the late 2000s metalcore scene. It all still sounds like classic Sylosis however, with the band's signature style still very much on display. Devils in Their Eyes is another in-your-face track and one that does not hesitate in getting going, with blistering riffs and throat-shredding screams present from the off. That being said, there is more of a dynamic approach taken here than on the previous song with changes of pace and vibe present throughout. Parts of the song are quite slow, with an old-school Black Sabbath-esque chug to them, while other moments see the return of the album's trademark atmospherics in a big way. All of these moments punctuate what, at its core, is a fast-paced thrash track - but one that revels in ripping up the script at opportune moments to allow the band's more creative side to really shine. It also features another excellent guitar solo, and it comes during one of the slower sections to really allow Middleton time to dwell on each note - giving the instrumental section more emotional weight. Disintegrate opens with another evil-sounding riff, which recalls some of the early extreme metal bands. In fact, there is quite a strong extreme metal vibe present throughout the song, with plenty of tremolo picking found throughout as well as an unsettling atmosphere that is created both by the keyboards and a general uneasiness found in some of the riffs and melodies. There is a true crushing heaviness to be found throughout the song, and it certainly builds on the sound the band were going for on Different Masks on the Same Face - a song that saw Sylosis go in a slightly more abrasive direction just before their hiatus. The album's closing number Abandon is probably the most unique-sounding song on the album, and continues the band's occasional experimentation with clean vocals. Most of the band's album's have at least one song to feature them, and this might be the most-accomplished use of them by Sylosis yet - with the clean vocal sections offsetting the heavier sections nicely. On the whole, the song is a slow one, with doomy piano notes used throughout and old-school death/doom riffs backing up the song's heavier sections - such as the chorus which mixes harsh and clean vocals together for a strong sound. It is easily the most progressive track on the album, and is great to see Middleton continuing to push himself despite the album as a whole reining it in. It shows that he always wants to move forward as a songwriter, and it is clear that this song showcases another side to his writing and playing. Overall, Cycle of Suffering is an excellent comeback album from Sylosis that is one of my favourite new releases of the year so far. It finds Middleton fired up and excited about Sylosis again, something which - by his own admission in recent interviews - he was not for quite a while. It is great to see the band back in such a way, and hopefully Sylosis are here to stay once again.

The album was released on 7th February 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for I Sever.