Genre: Progressive Metal/Deathcore
Label: Unsigned
Date of Release: April 8, 2013
MONSTROUS TECH METAL
The "djent" trend of progressive metal and hardcore is unfortunately beginning to wear thin in quality, with many bands in the scene doing the same thing. However, one band that breaks the ice would be Carthage. Formed in 2006 from Baltimore, Maryland, this sextet released their debut self-titled EP in 2011. After that, they would unleash their first full-length record in 2013 entitled "Salt the Earth," an album that seeks to coalesce technicality, brutality, and melody into a formidable musical force.
The musicianship is quite stellar, starting with both the aggressive and clean vocals. The former category boasts a ton of great range and power, consisting of excellent low and high-pitches. As for the clean singing, while used rather sparingly, hold their ground nicely as well, providing some good dynamic for melodic parts, especially in tracks such as "Years and Darkness" and "Green." The guitars are especially versatile, bolstering both melody and brutality in nice balance. Whether they be soaring melodic passages or polyrhythmic breakdowns, variety is what really boosts the guitar work through the roof. The percussion is equally as strong, bearing lots of complexity without losing its sense of structure. "Salt the Earth" is definitely on the high road when it comes to the instrumental performance.
Another area that this album succeeds in is the production and sound mixing. It's awesomely carried out, making the music sound very explosive and brusque. On top of that, there is a thick atmosphere to it, so it grabs the audience much more effectively (As if the music itself wasn't enough). The mixing is yet another well-done aspect of this record.
In "Salt the Earth," Carthage delivers twelve tracks of a blistering mix of technical metal and hardcore, all of them doing nothing less than being enjoyable. This is due to the sheer levels of dynamic and potency the music has overall. Not only are many parts of the songs overall very gripping, but they are all tied together quite cohesively. Although the record doesn't always grab your attention, the majority of it does because of how well-crafted it is. The album performs a great balancing act between structure and catchiness, with highlights including the heavy-fisted "Years and Darkness" and "Exegetics" and the anthem-like "Pushing Forward." In terms of the music itself, this album really succeeds.
In the midst of a genre fading in terms of intrigue, "Salt the Earth" is nothing short of a fresh breath of air. All of the album's elements, from the musicianship to the songwriting, are done incredibly well, and the energy behind them is undeniable. Fans of modern progressive and technical metal, especially the "djent" followers, probably should not pass this stellar record up. It doesn't exactly grasp perfection, but it definitely comes close.
Score: 9/10 (Excellent)
