[Evertrapped]-Under The Deep

Hellstorm Recordz
2015

Formed in 2007, [Evertrapped] is a five-piece melodic death metal band from Montreal, Québec that lists the likes of of Death, Unearth, Machine Head, Scar Symmetry, Soilwork, In Flames, and Arch Enemy as their primary influences. The forthcoming "Under The Deep" is this group's latest recording and third overall full-length album since first issuing "Tales from the Supermax" way back in 2010. Every bit as technical and skilled as some of their listed influences (most certainly later day Death!), [Evertrapped] excels at their craft with "Under the Deep" offering a full-fledged assault on the senses that is absolutely stone-cold BRUTAL! And between you and me friends such aggression and overt hostility is a welcome sight sound when all you want to do is check out of this crazy world for awhile and decompress! Despite the fact that this album would just as soon tear your face straight off as have to deal with any pleasantries(!), "Under The Deeps" is exquisitely melodic and even slightly progressive! It's a fine balancing act, but the five members of [Evertrapped] walk that alarmingly thin line like champs! All of that is fine as blood red wine, but what happens when you take into account the brief traditional heavy metal teases that come with the band's third album here? Well, let's just say that it pushes matters OVER THE FREAKING TOP and in the process of doing that dirty deed it turns "Under The Deep" into a slam dunk death fest that rattled these old bones of mine and made me dive back into the pit for another go! As far as everything else goes? Lyrically/theme-wise it's all about the madness and the above album art does a fair job of representing the ghostly appeal of this gut-stomping release. As good as the all the music is (and it is bad-ass!) I can't help but feel as if "Under The Deep" wouldn't work as well as it does without the grizzly sounds of James Brookes. I mean what's killer death metal without a killer lead vocalist? That's where James comes into play and he handles the mic like he's wielding a blazing chainsaw! His voice cuts the listener in half and makes this album all the more powerful and ultimately intimidating! With a great supporting cast in position and songs that are well-drawn and structurally-strong (and not to mention legitimately clever!), James Brookes is able to breath fire into the individual tracks thus making this spring magically to life! Let's now move from James to the album's overall sound. From a production standpoint there is seemingly nothing amiss here with everything fitting together nicely. Not that the album is overly glossy or anything. This is death metal after all! It's merely a case where a album's production enhances the musical delivery without taking anything away from the brute force narrative. To put it into simpler terms there's nothing here to find fault with. Let me repeat that. There is NOTHING about "Under The Deep" to hate. Nothing. This is simply great music. That means fans of top-tier (slightly-progressive & highly-technical) melodic death metal should find plenty to love about this upcoming release. If that's a tag that you proudly like to where then you should go and pre-order the album by heading here.