In the vast sea of modern hardcore, it’s hard to stand out, much less find an original sound. While comparisons to other bands will be impossible to avoid, EMMURE have created an absolutely thunderous album with their latest release, SPEAKER OF THE DEAD.
Opening with “Children of Cybertron,” their second major nod to the TRANSFORMERS (following “Sound Wave Superior” in 2008), Emmure takes a cue from the short-lived, yet phenomenal Transformers-themed band SHOCKWAVE before ripping into “Area 64-66.” There’s breakdowns everywhere, and the groove is massive. Often the most-shortlived moments on a hardcore record, EMMURE flips the script and places emphasis on the space between the chaos. The lead single and video for “Solar Flare Homicide” is a good indication of what the entire album has in-store, so if you didn’t dig that – you’re going to hate this record.
There’s moments throughout the album where the guitars take on a mechanical precision that recalls that of FEAR FACTORY on their DIGIMORTAL album, further blurring the lines between “metal,” “hardcore,” and the overused “deathcore.” Where the album lacks is in the realm of vocal creativity. Oft-used cliche’s are abound (“We’re all gonna die!” – “Give up the Ghost” – etc), but since the band has a history of pop-culture nods in their titles, it’s almost forgivable since there doesn’t seem to be a claim that they take themselves too seriously.
The bottom line is that SPEAKER OF THE DEAD is a heavy fucking load of anger-driven music that has already become a fast favorite here.
Rating: 4/5
