Death Is Little More
Death Is Little More gives Boundaries' metalcore a sharp balance between overwhelming force and clear melodic detail. The Connecticut band rarely reduce the pressure for long, but the changes in singing and guitar texture give the songs more shape than a continuous run of breakdowns. It is a demanding record whose strongest moments make that intensity feel purposeful.
Turning Hate into Rage starts with an immediate heavy attack before the guitar writing opens into a more recognisable melodic metalcore shape. Matt McDougal's voice keeps the aggression firmly in view. The arrangement gives the record a strong introduction without suggesting that every song will follow exactly the same route.
Like Petals from a Stem takes a shorter, more concentrated approach. Its drumming and tightly packed force make it one of the album's most direct statements. The contrast with the melodic material around it helps the brief song leave a larger impression than its length might suggest.
Easily Erased uses cleaner singing to break the tension. The interruption gives the vocal line a clear space before the heavier music takes hold again. These moments work best when they develop the song rather than soften its identity. Scars on a Soul also brings greater melodic movement into the attack without removing the weight of the rhythm section.
Blame's Burden is a more substantial change. Marcus Vik's guest singing sits among cleaner guitar textures, giving the record one of its most open passages. It is a convincing use of melody, although the electronic details and sudden space may feel less naturally connected for listeners drawn mainly to the band's harsher side.
The different vocal approaches help the record remain active, but there are limits to its range. The cleaner singing will divide listeners, and the constant pressure occasionally pushes the separate details too close together. The underlying language also remains closely tied to established metalcore and metallic hardcore.
Those reservations do not remove the strength of the performances. Death Is Little More is compact, forceful and full of clear decisions about where to place a melody or change the pressure. Boundaries give the harsher passages enough detail to make them memorable, while the more open moments show how much extra weight a little contrast can provide.
