Production-wise, this album is as razor-sharp as is typical for the band - with the experimentations with synths and clean vocals which have become more prominent in recent years present here also. Middleton's riffing and lead guitar style is very much the same as ever, though, whilst his vocals are perhaps their strongest and most diverse here - which is something he tends to build on from album to album. Kicking off with Beneath the Surface, the song somewhat fades into view - before a staccato main riff kicks in, and the band builds around these guitar stabs. Pace-wise, the album is quite varied. Sylosis have often had prominent thrash influences on show, and the opening song showcases this to an extent - whilst other songs later on are more groove-based. Sylosis really started making use of groovy riffs in a big way on the last album, and this approach has been brought forward here. The verses here are a good mix of thrashy mid and faster-paced sections, with some particularly fast instrumental moments that feature some venomous Richardson drumming, with a more headbang-worthy chorus that ends in some groovy riffing. Other songs utilise grooves more effectively, but they act as a point of difference here - breaking up the thrashier and more metalcore-esque moments nicely. The arrangement here already feels a bit more involved than many of the songs on the last album - and Middleton's first guitar solo on the album is shredded and full of smooth melodies. Erased, one of the album's singles, then simplifies things somewhat - essentially going for a mid-paced groovy approach throughout. The opening riff is slab-like, and simpler than Middleton's typical approach, but this works well to blend into a similar verse - which is full of 1990s Machine Head-esque guitar patterns and pinch harmonics, whilst Middleton barks the vocals with real power. Some parts of some of the verses see the band speed up, but largely this is a mid-paced track - with cold synths adding depth, and occasional gang vocals building on the anthemic nature of the previous album. The chorus is sung clean, and Middleton's clean vocals on this album are easily the best he has done to date. He does not have a huge range but he gets the job done - and this slightly grungy chorus is hooky thanks to an underlying guitar melody. A later bridge and breakdown section returns to the song's core groovy approach, with an bludgeoning and repetitive instrumental section which recalls classic Pantera somewhat - which was clearly made for the stage. All Glory, No Valour ups the intensity significantly - and the gang vocal-led track may well be the heaviest and most hard-hitting thing here. The opening riffing is quite mid-paced, but things soon speed up - and this is a track which is very much packed full of thrashy influences. Richardson's double bass drumming really drives the song forward, whilst the shout-along chorus introduces a hardcore feel at times thanks to how simple it is. The overall pace of the song is capitalised on, though, with some great lead guitar moments, with some shredding being deployed after the first chorus, whilst Middleton also showcases some slightly higher-pitched screams during parts of the chorus, too. There are still groovy moments, too, such as another slower breakdown section - whilst a gang vocal version of the chorus works well with its simpler drum backing before another fast-paced guitar solo. Thrash and hardcore sit side-by-side nicely here, and the song is another made for the stage.
Lacerations, another single, feels like a more complex version of Erased arrangement-wise. Like the earlier song, there is a lot of mid-paced groovy riffing here early on - but things do speed up as the verses kick off. Aside from the chorus, which is another sung clean, the verses actually turn the clock back somewhat to the riffing, speed, and vocal approach of Edge of the Earth and 2012's Monolith. Despite the song's arrangement being more straight ahead, the riffing and guitar patterns feel old-school then - although it is clear how far Middleton has come as a singer as he feels more varied here in his harsh delivery. Occasional blast beats and shredded guitar leads keep the pace and energy moving - whilst the chorus is one of the more epic moments in the Sylosis canon, with a surprisingly emotive and melodic clean vocal delivery allowing it to stick in the brain. This is the sort of song which is likely to be a fan-favourite for years to come - and will please those who feel things have become a little too simple of late. Mirror Mirror is another song which features more of a hardcore-based approach, and it reminds me a little of No Saviours from the band's last EP The Path (which I reviewed here) from 2024. I do not mind an occasional hardcore influence, but this song feels a bit too hardcore for me overall - and I have never thought that a more chest-beating approach really works that well for Sylosis. It is not a terrible song, but compared to much of the rest of the material here it falls behind. The riffing throughout is a bit less interesting than usual - with the song clearly focusing more on attitude than hooks or interesting arrangements. This approach seems to have become a part of Sylosis' sound of late but, thankfully, it does not seem to dominate that often. Spared from the Guillotine gets things back on track, though, with the song really picking up the pace and going for a big-time thrash approach during much of the song. The opening riffing and much of the first verse features some of the fastest riffing on the album - whilst elsewhere the intricate arrangements of the past are brought back to an extent with a good mix of grooves and some prominent guitar leads. A Pantera vibe once again rears its head during parts of the song, particularly the few more mid-paced sections - whilst gang vocals are once again utilised sparingly to add to the overall energy that the song generates. Pace, grooves, and guitar technicality all fuse here to create something memorable. Adorn My Throne goes for a slightly different sound - and there is something of a symphonic edge here. Whilst not sounding like something from the band's past, it certainly feels more progressive than much of the album - with a good mix of riffing styles, a much more prominent use of synths, and some excellent guitar melodies. Semi-whispered vocals are utilised during quieter sections, whilst Middleton also delivers some of his deepest growls elsewhere - and even some occasional black metal-esque shrieks. There is a lot of variety here, then, and I really like how the chorus sounds grand thanks to the synths. The black metal influences are on show during a later, fast-paced bridge section - which is then followed by one of the floatiest solos on the album. It is one of those songs that reveals a new thing with each listen - and it is likely to become a real favourite as a result.
The album's title track follows, which also acted as its first single. It is another pretty fast song overall, but the opening riffs have some strong mid-paced grooves to kick things off - even if when Middleton starts to sing the pace increases. I can see why it was released as the first single, as it certainly mixes the anthemic nature of the previous album, particularly during the gang vocal-led chorus, with some of the flashier riffing and thrash influences of the past. It did not just feel like more of the same when I first heard it - and it acted as a good taster of what was to come. The thrashy moments are a little bit of a throwback to the band's past - but the use of grooves is very much in-keeping with more recent times. There is a lot of soloing here, too, with some speedy shredding early on alongside some more neo-classical melodies during the main solo later on. Everywhere at Once then changes the pace quite significantly - presenting the first true Sylosis ballad. The band have done slower songs before, but they have tended to be murky and atmospheric - likely building towards something heavier. Absent on the last album is the closest comparison - but this song feels more genuine in the ballad stakes, with clean vocals throughout and acoustic guitars dominating the verses. The chorus is heavier, but Middleton still sings clean - and the backing largely just ups the power of the music without really leaning into a truly metallic territory. Middleton has improved as a clean singer but I would not say that he has a great range. Despite this, though, he injects plenty of emotion into the piece - with the chorus really pushing him as a clean singer. A slow-burning and more melodic guitar solo adds to the overall vibe nicely later, too, and the ballad works well even if it does not really sound or feel like Sylosis all that much. The penultimate song gets things back to a more typical approach, though, with Circle of Swords opening with some venomous mid-paced grooves and surprisingly venomous, higher-pitched vocals before thrashier riffing takes over. This is one of those Sylosis tracks which feels a bit all over the place style-wise. It harks back to the earlier days somewhat as a result, and the arrangement is quite chaotic - with lots of thrashier moments sitting alongside groovy riffs and a few moments which even hint at a more tech metal approach with angular riffing and sparser drum patterns. The riffing throughout is great, it just takes a few listens to fully piece everything together. The album then comes to a close with Seeds in the River, a pretty groovy, mid-paced track overall. Again, though, this is a song which harks back to the band's older albums somewhat - and the arrangement is a bit more complex. Bass-led sections appear during some of the verses, which allow for a brief moment of respite before the next big riff, whilst those classic Sylosis little guitar lead moments are often utilised elsewhere in the verses to add additional melody. Snappy riffing adds a simpler edge at times, but there are also knottier moments - with blast beats again occasionally utilised. There is a lot going on here, then, but things hang together more coherently than the previous song - with the clean vocal-led chorus adding a point of difference and something melodic to build towards. Given the involved nature of the songwriting and the slightly epic approach added by the clean vocals, the song feels like a true album closer - with the chorus one of the hookiest moments here alongside another great guitar solo. Sylosis have never disappointed despite their changes in approach over the years, and The New Flesh is another very strong album from the Reading band. There are a lot of memorable songs here which cover a range of styles - and I like how some of the intricacy which was less prevalent on the previous album has been returned to here. This is an album I keep coming back to for more - and I can only see my opinion of it increasing as I become more and more familiar with it.
The album was released on 20th February 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The New Flesh.
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