Asylon

Personnel: Alex Leblanc (vocals); Rob Milley (guitar).
Audio Mixer: Chris Donaldson.
Recording information: Garage Studio (06/2010); Wildsound Studio (06/2010).
Photographer: Ben von Wong.
The sixth studio album by this French-Canadian technical death metal band is every bit as punishing as its previous work, and retains the slight tinge of accessibility that gave 2008's The Thin Line Between half a chance of reaching listeners who don't play an instrument themselves. While the music is 100 percent death metal, with downtuned, mechanistic guitar riffs and hammering drums bouncing the listener around like a racquetball, there are a few catchy moments, as well as some altered vocals (like on "Trauma") or synth-orchestral flourishes ("Sinister") that keep the songs from all sounding like one endless barrage of Pro Tools-edited noise. The quiet "Resilience," which lays spoken vocals over gentle guitars and soothing washes of distortion, also helps shake things up. At its best, as on "V," the group cranks up a chugging hardcore riff, then spins it out into an intricate guitar solo without ever losing momentum. The bandmembers have yet to write a chorus that identifies itself as such on first listen, but technical death metal is about displays of instrumental technique, not catchiness. No one who likes Neuraxis will find Asylon disappointing. ~ Phil Freeman