Immortal
Immortal makes Lorna Shore's symphonic side central to the music. Keyboards and choir-like sounds do more than sit behind the heavy guitars. They help determine how the songs develop and give the hard rhythms a larger context. The record remains deathcore, but makes its impression through more than slowed impacts alone.
The title track establishes that approach immediately. Its opening uses voices and broad textures to develop tension before guitars and drums intervene more forcefully. The melodic layer remains part of the song when the music accelerates. Its scale feels carefully constructed as a result.
Death Portrait brings the fierce black-metal-like side further forwards. Fast guitar movement and harsh vocals make the attack particularly sharp. This Is Hell then chooses a more direct structure, with a heavily accented conclusion which firmly retains the band's rhythmic foundations. These differences prevent the symphonic setting giving every song the same shape.
Hollow Sentence again brings expansive textures and heavy guitars together convincingly. The production keeps the sound dense and powerful while allowing the melodic parts enough space. Technical guitar work remains important to the appeal even when the background is richly filled.
The second half has more difficulty distinguishing each idea as sharply. Some songs return to similar forms, and the size of the arrangements can partly cover their differences. Immortal remains convincing as a whole, however. The band connect their heavy foundation to memorable melodies and a clear atmosphere, with enough strong guitar parts to give the large sound substance. It is an ambitious record which succeeds most when symphonic layers and extreme playing develop the same song together.
