While Bury Tomorrow could already be proud of their consistent output, and the respected niche they’d carved for themselves in the British metal scene, 2023’s The Seventh Sun took them up to the next rung of the ladder.
Driven by the departure of co-founding guitarist/clean singer Jason Cameron, and the frustration over the pandemic robbing their sixth album, Cannibal, of momentum, its follow-up took the road to uncertainty by favouring heaviness over the more palatable approach they had been honing up to that point.
In many ways, Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience feels like the natural successor to Cannibal, fully owning that well-worn cliché of adding melody without sacrificing the bite. Reminiscent of metalcore milestones such as Bring Me The Horizon’s Sempiternal and Parkway Drive’s Ire, Will You Haunt Me… sounds unmistakably familiar, while pushing enough against the parameters to forge its own identity.
Jason Cameron’s rich, distinctive voice was something that set Bury Tomorrow apart from their peers, and given the more liberal deployment of clean vocals throughout the band’s eighth effort, it’s exciting to hear brilliant keyboardist/clean vocalist Tom Prendergast sound even better than on the last record. Changing a vocalist can be tricky for fans to adapt to, but not only does Tom deliver on the call-and-response of What If I Burn, and Found No Throne’s subdued longing, the extra layering of atmospheric synths and jarring beats demonstrate his enormous added value.
Wasteland delivers on all fronts, from early loud whispering to riffs destined to accompany jets of flame in a live setting, and a huge chorus boasting clean harmonies over the shimmering keys, that demands to be sung along to. But although there’s extra melodic finesse here, the rest of the album refuses to change down gears from The Seventh Sun.
From the urgent bounce and trademark riffs of opener To Dream, To Forget onwards, there are still snarling beasts snapping at the cages. Waiting offers no quarter, and Yōkai’s baleful tone and seismic grooves perfectly emphasise the sense of anxiety and disconnection from society that lies at the album’s lyrical centre.
Kristan Dawson’s understated but effective leads choose their moments wisely, and Adam Jackson’s kicks propel the likes of Let Go’s spattering attack. Meanwhile, Villain Arc’s grisly menace could cause many a deathcore band to look over their collective shoulder in admiration and worry.
Riding stabbing drops and synths at the end, Dani Winter-Bates channels a multitude of expressions, from his lowest growls to searing screams and a Dez Fafara-like scattergun approach. It’s just one of many commanding moments here that see the engaging frontman deliver a career-best display – so much so, that it feels like he could lead his bandmates through anything.
Finally, following a multitude of cathartic flashpoints, the poignant weight of Paradox brings the curtain down impeccably. More immediate moments may have permeated Bury Tomorrow’s previous releases, but Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience boasts a discernible balance of creativity, confidence and, above all, emotional impact for a band unafraid to nakedly wear their hearts on their sleeves. Ultimately, it has enough force to turn their niche into an indisputable crater.
Will You Haunt Me With That Same Patience is out May 16 via Music For Nations / Sony
