Yours truly witnessed the skilled Norwegian quartet named Art of Deception back in 2015 when they were supporting Toxic Holocaust at Garage in Bergen, Norway. That night it quickly became apparent that these guys had potential and could turn into a frightening musical monster a couple of years down the road. Well lo and behold, the band’s sophomore album is out now and it totally slays.

 

Progressive death thrash is the order of the day and the nine glorious metal hymns that constitute "Path of Trees" all pack a punch and are utterly memorable and well-written. Lethal riffs, aggressive vocals, crushing drums, and punishing bass lines abound and form a massive wall of sound that is both thick and impenetrable. The musicianship is great and the youthful energy and enthusiasm are so prevalent that one can almost reach out and touch them. Mellow acoustic guitars and piano also make an appearance and provide a nice contrast to the bombastic parts and face-melting sections. The tunes are all sufficiently layered and textured to warrant repeated listening, and there is no shortage of diversity to the song material.

At times complex yet always catchy, "Path of Trees" is an awesome record that all lovers of extreme music ought to invest in. The album artwork rules too.

 

https://www.facebook.com/ArtofDeceptionofficial/