Album Review: Boris the Blade - 'The Human Hive'

There really isn't any better way to describe 'The Human Hive' than this: monstrous.

Whether it be the machine-gun like drumming that greets the ears practically non-stop with blast beats, breakdowns and rolls; or the deathly growls and high-screams that are on par with the likes of Phil Bozeman and the late Mitch Luker; it's an album that holds a big impact on the listener.

And the tip of our hats to the guitar and bass work. Although one can argue it isn't the most technical or impressive work, it's sure as hell well suited for the job. One minute Boris the Blade could be off on a solo then transition to a purely heavy open-string breakdown that physically makes your shoulders hurt from its sheer power and force.

So this is all sounding pretty familiar and you're absolutely right. 'The Human Hive' really is nothing you haven't heard before. But don't let all this fool you. Hidden throughout this already well-formed and crushing piece of work is a whole different dynamic. Take 'Atrophy' for example. Tucked away at the dead-centre of the track is a gorgeous piano melody that sits quietly at the background but it works absolutely brilliantly with the track's multiple layers. It really takes you by surprise and makes you prick your ears in attention. We don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say the track 'Malevolent' has a bit of surprise at its start too.

Overall, the presentation is well balanced. 'The Human Hive' is nine tracks long and just over a half-an-hour listen. Plus, the average track length is three-minutes long, which keeps things short, sweet and heavy. Tracks that go for five or six minutes can really kill the whole atmosphere of a deathcore album, especially when there's fifteen songs that all go over four minutes.

Boris the Blade haven't just hit the deathcore nail on the head, they've smashed it to bits and made it their own. They've kept 'The Human Hive' short, sweet and to the point. From beginning to end, it's a record that's heavy for the sake of being heavy with a whole new layer added to it in the form of ambient song-breaks, piano melodies and some siren like guitar tones. For all these reasons and more, we're glad to call Boris the Blade Australian!

1. Serpents Crown