The Pitch: Grand Rapids, Michigan deathcore/metalcore band Sleep Waker drop their debut album via Stay Sick. FFO: Cabal, Impending Doom, Thy Art Is Murder
What I Like: While Sleep Waker keep their sound pretty simple and straightforward, it feels as if they have effectively boiled it down to its most essential elements. These djenty, groove-driven bands sometimes throw out the baby with the bathwater, but with Don't Look At The Moon, these basic bones have been repurposed into a satisfying stew. With a focus on stripped back beatdown riffs, commanding vocals, and ominous atmosphere, this album is the perfect compliment to a sour mood. They're that stank-face, punch something music. The entire album may as well be one perpetual breakdown that combines the impact of Traitors, Thy Art Is Murder, and the more primiitve moments of Periphery. The occasional electronic elements make for a nice touch.
Critiques: Again, this is pretty basic stuff. There's nothing particularly impressive about the instrumentation or songwriting, but what they abandon in musicianship they largely make up for in performance.
The Verdict: Listen to this album alone, because you may otherwise face an assault charge. Sleep Waker are a destructive force, plain and simple. With track names like "Broken Teeth," that should come as no surprise. No frills, no survivors.
Flight's Fav's: Turnaround, Eclipse, Don't Look At The Sun
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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