Sometimes I honestly can’t decide how to describe a metal band. Are they thrash, hardcore, death metal, melodic death metal or blackened thrash crust punk? I feel bands that allow listeners a chance to hear multiple influences in a clever way when listening to an album, really offer those listeners a unique experience.
Coming from Sacramento, CA, Salythia is an up and coming band that does not place themselves into on sub-genre, or claim to be some ridiculous blend of sub-genres like blackened thrash crust peace punk d-beat (A band actually described themselves to me in that way!). With their EP, “Death D’core,” Salythia presents eight musical compositions that display great variety. Also, I like how the band has these transitional tracks that set up certain songs such as track number two, “Interlude I: Of Great Disdain.” It reminded me of my favorite Pestilence album, “Testimony of the Ancients,” were there are short instrumental transitional tracks that give the album a certain flow.
Now, Salythia kicks off the EP with a slamming track called, “Bloodlust.” The song has a brutal tone and an unapologetic death metal nature. The guitar riffs hit hard as the vocals come in growling at full force. There is a solid level of technicality and the music always seems to shift in a different direction compared to what I expect.
Track number three in my opinion is Salythia’s best representation of what this band is all about. I hear thrash influence to melodic death metal, but the music maintains this level of great creativity. On this track the band really hammers out a great piece of music. The mix of clean and growl vocals works really well. Usually, I am extremely critical of the clean and growl vocal mix and tend to let my metal elitist alter ego takeover, but for some reason I thought the music sounded great with the contrasting vocal style. Best song on the EP in my opinion.
I thought track four, “Shattered (A New Beginning),” was another solid composition, especially the introduction instrumental part. The quick thrash like guitar bursts instantly captured my attention. However, I did not feel the vocal contrast came across as strong as it did on, “Affliction.” Though for the most part this song’s instrumental structure was very impressive and full of unexpected moments. Same goes of the song, “Dementia.” The music is powerful and is played at a solid extreme sounding level. Big shout out to the rhythm section of this band too for creating a heavy sounding backbone that adds to the band’s aggressive and creative sound.
The last full track on this album, “Chaos By Design,” captures the band going off into a heavier more progressive metal like area. Insane instrumental pieces and vocal parts just seem to explode through my speakers. The song is very abrasive sounding at times, yet there is this part during the song where the one of the vocalists references line from Shakespeare. Metal and Shakespeare...who would have thought?
My final thoughts on this EP are that Salythia is a band with plenty to offer the metal world. I think if people really listen carefully, there are so many different areas of metal music that you can hear when listening to this EP. I honestly think for a young band, Salythia has plenty of potential and the opportunity to attract a wide range of followers. I think metal music right now needs passion and variety, so bands like Salythia will hopefully keep pushing forward and trying to find new ways to be creative in the metal world.
Salythia Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/salythia
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