"Throes of Absolution," by Seattle, Washington group 7 Horns 7 Eyes is a record that certainly knows its way around unshakably balancing between brutality and atmosphere. The first thing that propels this success is the seamless fusion of melodic and symphonic death metal and deathcore. It's done very nicely, to the point where the album can attract fans of different calibers of metal and hardcore, allowing for a wider fanbase. The second thing that also helps this balance is the fact that everything is tied together in terms of the thick atmosphere, which happens to be a large strength of this great album on its own. The way this record was mixed and produced, topped off with some stellar melodies and synthesizer effects, allows for some grand atmospheres to give the record a cinematic feel to it, making it more engaging and enjoyable. All of this makes the album very balanced and well-thought out, and on top of that, the musicianship itself is great. The aggressive vocals sound very monstrous, especially the low growls, sounding much more like some creature than an actual vocalist. The clean singing and guitars deliver really good melodies, with the guitars showcasing some great solos without any noodling, along with the synthesizer described earlier, and the drumming sounds very potent in how they were mixed as well. All of these successful aspects make "Throes of Absolution" a recommended listen for metal and hardcore fans alike.
