Old Wounds: The Suffering Spirit

Well-read metalcore youngsters set out their busy stall

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This New Jersey four-piece cite Converge, Black Sabbath and Botch as influences, and play late 90s metalcore with credible punk flair.

Much of this is explained by the fact that guitarist Brandon Gallagher grew up on early 00s Ferret and Trustkill Records, while the whole band listen to anything from old hip hop to stoner rock to 80s new wave.

This second full-length shows how comfortable in their own sound and style they have grown. Mixed and mastered by Andreas Magnusson (Black Dahlia Murder, Despised Icon), the metal has been dialled up and clean vocals and dark melodies added to the mix. The guitars are crunchy, Actual Nothing features gloriously hooky riffs, and Moral Hex seems to have been written with Slayer in mind. Meanwhile, On Leather Wings, whose clean gothic tones transform into full-pelt screams, is an awesome example of the powerful vocals at the band’s disposal. Kevin Lavaroni is something special and he and Zak Kessler’s guttural barks cohabit nicely. Confident, fresh and free from melodic niceties, these guys are on a path to success.