The Pitch: Praise the day; finally some decent melodeath from California's Aerith featuring Ken Bedene of Aborted on drums. FFO: In Flames, Serenity In Murder, Dark Tranquillity
What I Like: Great melodic death metal is few and far between these days. After the recent letdown from the promising Bloodshot Dawn, I am especially wary of new releases in my once favorite genre. Fortunately, Aerith have the chops. As should be the case with any melodeath album, this EP stands very firm on the riffs alone. The hooks are well-written and exectued perfectly, often calling back to classic In Flames. They're the types of progressions that really stick in your head and compel you to move. Furthermore, the solid production and attention to pacing helps each one shine.
As if all of that wasn't enough, there's plenty more to enjoy with Aerith. The drumming is energetic, laying down plenty of raging double bass amidst an epic backdrop of synth atmosphere. Just listen to the final minutes of "Beyond Terminus" and try not to get caught up in the drama of it all. Between the ambience and piano accompaniments, fans of groups like Silence Lies Fear are in for a treat. The vocals are also consistently solid. Aaron Green's harsh, raspy scream easily goes toe to toe with Anders Fridén and Björn Strid, and the Melissa Rosenburg's backup singing is a welcome addition that adds further depth to the experience.
Critiques: If you wanted the best of meat and potatoes melodeath, Aerith has it in spades. But if you were looking for something fresh and original, this isn't going to scratch that particular itch.
The Verdict: Aerith is the best melodic death metal release I have heard since last year's The Eclipse by Serenity In Murder. I still have a special place in my heart for the genre that pulled me deeper into the metal scene, and with so precious few solid releases these days, bands like Aerith deserve the spotlight. Definitely check this out.
Flight's Fav's: Beyond Terminus, Temptress, A Cosmic Calling
-Review by FlightOfIcarus
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