Lahmia - Resilience (2019)

Following a killer 2018 in terms of Melodic Death Metal releases, it is now the turn of Italy’s Lahmia to make their case with “Resilience”. Being blown away by their 2012 debut full-length “Into the Abyss”, we are more than psyched that this album is even better. Featuring eight tracks and over 50 minutes of neck-breaking Melodic DM, the band combines elements of outfits like Kalmah, Amon Amarth, Insomnium, etc into a juicy melting pot of brilliance.

The towering pummeling riffs of “Elegy for a Dying Sun” instantly give that epic and melodic vibe that bands take years to master. With a knack for epic headbanging passages, this release perfectly flows into superbly catchy tracks like “Her Fanatic Call” and “Divide Et Imperia”. While the Amon Amarth influences are obvious, the band weaves them into their own sound with superb craftsmanship and attention to details. We particularly enjoy how the mood varies between tracks as “The Frayed Lines of Time” opens with a more epic and melodic atmosphere that evolves into a full-blown moshing masterpiece.

Sinister atmospheric elements are carved into the songs very nicely, a perfect example of this is the slow and punishing “Void of Humiliation” and the somber “The Age of Treason”. The album is nicely configured in a way that the listener can explore the band’s different influences and elements in a very cinematic and crafty way, allowing it to stay fresh and interesting from start to end. However, there is no lack of massive riffing onslaughts for those of us that like intensity weaved into the melodic aspect of the band’s music, like on “Limitless”.

As the release comes to a close with the 7 minute epic “Existential Vastness”, we are left quite satisfied with the band’s engaging and quite entertaining release. Yes, some might argue that there are plenty of other bands influences still evident, but we think that the band has done a great job in consolidating them into their own sound. The album is superbly catchy and filled with memorable pieces, so it has high replay value. We can’t wait to hear how the band continues to develop their sound in the future, but for now, “Resilience” is one hell of a release that will satisfy even the pickiest fan of the genre.

Label: Scarlet Records

Release: January 18th, 2019

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country: Italy