Azusa: Heavy Yoke album review

Ex-Dillinger bassist finds a new partner in crime with Azusa

Azusa Heavy Yoke

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Azusa’s debut album will garner interest due to the inclusion of ex-Dillinger bassist Liam Wilson, but listeners’ attentions will be focused elsewhere by its conclusion. 

Because, while Azusa feature many of the elements of Dillinger Escape Plan madness, the star here is vocalist Eleni Zafiriadou, whose performance is soaring and melodic one minute and full of throat-tearing rage the next. 

It’s all evidenced in the title track, where these two personalities often overlap, leading to a disorientating but exciting mix that sounds like Death and The Breeders being played at the same time. 

It doesn’t always coalesce quite so perfectly, but Azusa could be a very special band.

For Fans Of: Oathbreaker, Rolo Tomassi, Dillinger Escape Plan

Stephen joined the Louder team as a co-host of the Metal Hammer Podcast in late 2021, eventually becoming a regular contributor to the magazine. He has since written hundreds of articles for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal. He also presents the Trve. Cvlt. Pop! podcast with Gaz Jones and makes regular appearances on the Bangers And Most podcast.