Allegaeon – Fragments of Form and Function
The Cleansing
The Renewal
Across the Folded Line
The God Particle
Biomech – Vals No.666
From Seed To Throne
Atrophy of Hippocrates
Point of Disfigurement
A Cosmic Question
Accelerated Evolution
After listening to this album from Allegaeon, it’s hard to believe such complexity could be achieved in a debut. Admittedly the USA seems to have a bulging growth in technical death metal, but ‘Fragments of Form and Function’ is so tight, one would assume they have been going for years. The album is over in a furious flash as the band succeeds to avoid repetition, as each riff flows on smoothly from the previous.
Despite taking a lot of influence from their Scandinavian predecessors, the technicality kicks in almost immediately, showcasing a concoction of riffs and solos good enough to swallow. The vocals are gnarly to the stereotypical standard but Allegaeon have improved their song writing with a less obvious subject of science and technology, instead of the cliché violence. As well as this, the brutality is separated into perfectly sized portions by interludes that show off the deep talent within guitarist Greg Burgess, as well as the rest of the band. Track “Atrophy of Hippocrates” oozes with an old school death metal feel, while the rest of the album is a refreshing changefrom the typical song structure.
Allegaeon have levelled their idols with this record and it is all down to the fact that every thundering riff is as intense as the melodic hooks. The vocalist is nothing on the other musicians but the originality that they bring helps keep “Fragments...” a high contender in the death scene.
Reviewed by Lily Randall
‘Fragments of Form and Function’ is out now on Metal Blade.
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