Voices of Ruin - Path to Immortality (2020)

Melodic Death Metal is one of those genres that you either pull off brilliantly or end up sounding like a complete rip-off of somebody else. Luckily for us, Voices of Ruin manages to blend tons of familiar influences into a very cohesive and engaging sound that the band can call their own. Unleashing “Path to Immortality”, the band delivers nearly 50 minutes of superbly crafted music, perfectly balancing aggression, melody and skill.

Opening with the very Insomnium-esque “Other Side”, the band quickly delivers the goods with the high-octane “Carved Out”. Featuring a blend of Amon Amarth and Omnium Gatherum, the band delivers crushing riffs and very melodic passages. The band’s lead guitarist proficiency is clearly showcased on the ridiculously crafty title track, with an insane solo by Tom Barrett. Both guitars lead the band’s musical efforts in brilliant tracks like “Suffering Silence” and “Reach Toward the Sky”, which have killer headbanging passages and hectic drums.

Reminding us a bit of Warmen, “I Am God” is yet another high-octane song filled with technical wizardry and raw aggression. It is quite a relief that the band perfectly balances subtle melodies with technical proficiency and stays away from the self-wankery of other bands that rely on one band member’s skills. The Amon Amarth-esque vibes are always present through this release, but the vocals and tempo on “Whispers” give us that “Fate of Norns” vibe.

The release closes with a mellow outro that has some nice Post-Rock elements, perfectly bringing this release to a close. As with only a handful of albums, we can’t wait to play “Path to Immortality” again, over and over. If you are looking for a new Melodic Death Metal band that has their own unique sound but give you some nice flash backs of others here and there, look no further and get into Voices of Ruin.

Label: M-Theory Audio

Release: May 15th, 2020

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country: USA