Maltese melodic death metallers Angelcrypt are back with a new batch of groovy and rumbling tunes, and if you want songs that possess drive and contain fabulous leads and catchy melodies, “Dawn of the Emperor” is just what you need as this fucker packs a punch. These seasoned veterans have churned out a confident and focused record that is rich in atmosphere and rather dark and potent. It is quite varied too and often slides into mellow parts that offer a sense of calm and respite from the aggression. On top of that, the production is powerful and things sound fucking huge and massive at times. The cool thing about this outfit is that these guys can pull off some technically impressive stuff but their compositions never turn into a bore or a lame display of skill and ability; it is all about serving the song in question. The use of keyboards is cool to and adds a bit of color to the tracks, but the vocals although decent and adequate are not as creative or diverse as they could have been to these ears. Highlights then? Let us go with “Martyred Soul”, which is almost Iron Maiden-esque in terms of its melodies, blistering solos, and many memorable passages, and the sinister “On Killing Fields”.

If you want crushing, pummeling melodic death metal with subtle thrash metal vibes to it, look no further than “Dawn of the Emperor”. There is nothing new under the sun here and you have probably heard something eerily similar to this one many times before, but Angelcrypt’s output is entertaining as hell and filled with wicked riffs and good hooks.

 

https://angelcrypt.bandcamp.com/