DEADSCAPE
State Of Decline

Nothing signals the end of summer and the start of the most hauntingly beautiful season of autumn quite like a new metal release. Everything that we see, think and feel, from the chill in the air, macabre decorations and horror movie marathons, makes our bones cry out for new brutality through sonic means of production.

Lucky for all of us weirdos, a new release is upon us! Today we will be looking at the new album by Bulgarian melodic death metal outfit DEADSCAPE entitled “State Of Decline”. When I say this album packs a barb-wire-packed punch, just know that I do not use these descriptive terms lightly. Be prepared for a journey of melancholic intensity that will not be easily matched.

THE BAND

Formed in Sofia in 2015, DEADSCAPE has been taunting our ears with melodeath perfection for nearly a decade. More of a full-blown musical outfit than a band, DEADSCAPE utilizes a wide array of instrumentation to present a unique take on the genre.

Fronted by Mirela Kaneva on vocals, she is backed by Ivan Bratoev and Ani Dimitrova on guitar, Alexander Trifonov keeping the groove steady on bass and backing vocals, Ivan Kolev supplying the heartbeat on drums, and Edgar Monreal adding the flair to the group with keyboards and backing vocals.

THE ALBUM

With this being their sophomore release, DEADSCAPE has a lot to live up to. The opening track “Yestereve” provides us with a moody sensibility, utilizing ambiance over destruction, that will be present throughout the entire album. Things get kicked into full gear with “Until Our Dying Days”, which has beautiful melodic guitar lines that almost make you want to cry, then realize you might want to mosh instead.

Tracks like “Made Of Twilight” and “Collapse To Disrepair” have a haunting feeling of melancholy and longing, while the middle section of the album kicks up the romanticism, especially on “The Empty Space”, which contains an amazing ballad-like guitar solo.

My standout track on the album has to be “My Solitary Moon”. It has a progressive quality that is sometimes lacking on melodic death metal albums. The nine-minute long epic takes you on a journey through a wall of sound that never lets up. Ending the album is “Lasting Wounds”, which takes the brutality up to eleven as the album concludes with a beautiful acoustic guitar hook that leaves us wanting more.

THE VERDICT

DEADSCAPE has created another masterpiece here. Through the journey of loneliness, anger and frustration, they have created a deeply personal album that is sure to resonate with all listeners. It is out via Miracle Of Bravery Records on the 23rd of August. Give it a listen, and wou wont regret it!

Matthew McCune