Album Review: Psycroptic - 'Psycroptic'

Tasmania may not be the biggest or most renowned place for metal but when the southern stately neighbours do produce bands, the quality certainly makes up for the lack of overall quantity. Local favourites Psycroptic have an extraordinary fifteen years under their belt and a consistent track record to match. It's as impressive as it is deserved. The band's sixth studio album is aptly self titled, with the record again showing the band's signature brand of technical death metal only with some new and improved elements.

From the very first song it is evident that Psycroptic are going to mix things up with this full-length and not just present us the same standard tech/death metal affair. Early acoustics belie the upcoming brutality before the group's common hard-hitting template takes shape. Some solid grooves and riffs drive the early songs forward and highlight Psycroptic’s sustained skill set.

Essentially, the guys have stepped it up even further with some interesting vocal variations and further focus on the instrumentals. The riffs are all technical yet catchy and memorable, while the fury of the drumming is ready to blast a hole through the wall.

Moreover, the fast, shredding guitars that greet the listener on ‘Ending’ show off a deeper and grittier vocal style. The aforementioned has some infectious riffs that Psycroptic have incorporated to contrast well with the onslaught of the prominent technical elements.

Furthermore, ‘Setting The Skies Ablaze’ has a fast, shouting introduction and chorus that reminds us of some old school punk while still incorporating the death metal instrumentals. There are interesting combinations like this throughout and with every track they combine both their trademark tech/death metal spun with something new to keep things fresh.

Psycroptic have managed to push the boundaries of their genre subtly without losing their assumed sound and with each moment in the collection you can see and hear the constant improvement.

Psycroptic's self titled album takes it up a notch from the band's past works as they experiment with furthering their melodic talents and vocal ranges. With acoustics and driving riffs juxtaposed against technical and complicated rhythms and instrumentals, this album is definitely a winner.

1. Echoes To Come
2. Ending
3. A Soul Once Lost
4. Cold
5. Setting The Skies Ablaze
6. Ideals That Won't Surrender
7. Sentence Of Immortality
8. The World Discarded
9. Endless Wandering