Album Review: The Browning - 'Hypernova'

22 October 2013 | 11:28 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

A club style mosh pit.

The Browning's fusion of electro/deathcore is certainly an interesting one. It seems as though the ideas are there, and the band should be applauded for their innovation, but the execution on second record 'Hypernova' doesn't quite hit the mark with as much consistency. Even more so when compared to their debut 'Burn This World', which seemed to feature plenty more memorable moments.

Basically these guys take heavy breakdowns and harsh vocals and combine them with soaring synth lines and electronics. 'Fifth Kind' is one of the first tracks to use some clean singing and put a heavier focus on melody (this appears half way through the record), it is also one of the better uses of the electronic and deathcore blend.

There are some moments, like 'Type 1A' and 'Black Hole' that present full fledged EDM and it is funny to picture the hardcore death metal lovers sitting through moments of trance. Imagine looking over to the car next to you and seeing the dude in the faded black band tee with the piercings and tattoos rolling along to a club banger, hilarious. That is why this band deserves some credit, their seamless combination of these genres means that the metalhead wouldn't even realise what they are listening to before it was too late. Another breakdown will have arrived by that time and all would be well in the universe, and nothing would seem too out of place.

The sound can become a bit tedious, we're sure that the introduction to Breaking Point features somewhere else in the record? The lack of any real stand-out moments during the album's closing songs means that the listener will have received it and equally been over it by the final track. This is a shame as the closer is actually a pretty cool remix of the record's single 'Gravedigger', produced by the band Eskimo Callboy, that is all electronic, but the paced out beat and vocal inclusions make it the type of club track that is bearable.

The Browning are probably one of the best groups when it comes to the combination of deathcore and electronics. That being said, their second album does not better the first. In a harsh manner of speaking, it is a step backwards as far as innovation goes because the group did it better the first time around. 'Hypernova' is still an enjoyable listen the first few times but the boundaries of this genre, which has potential, need to be pushed even more.

1. Invasion
2. Save The World
3. Gravedigger
4. Industry
5. Hypernova
6. Fifth Kind
7. Type 1A
8. Slaves
9. Black Hole
10. Breaking Point
11. Planet Hate
12. Cross The Line
13. Fearplex
14. Gravedigger [Eskimo Callboy remix]