Titan
Burn
Hypaethral (2012)
Burn, the debut full-length from Toronto, Ontario’s Titan, wastes no time in establishing itself as the devastatingly heavy powerhouse that it is. Thunderous drums and relentless guitars introduce the bleak, crushing atmosphere that stands through the entirety of the record on the almost 8-minute long “Feast,” with the chillingly powerful vocals kicking in soon after. With 10 songs spanning almost an hour, the band has little reluctance writing sprawling, lengthy tracks that allow them to create desolate landscapes of audible fury. After forming in 2006, the 5-piece has released a slew of EPs and splits, but Burn is their first attempt at a full-length record and they prove themselves more than capable of rising to the occasion. Their unique blend of metal and hardcore translates into an immense record of grand proportions, rising and falling in a calculated, chaotic mess of distortion and energy. Shifting from slow, sludgy riffs to a blisteringly fast pace, each song chugs along unstoppably and builds into climatic heights. The vocals stand out as one of the album’s highlights, varying from deep, guttural growls to wild howls and anguished screams, adding a terrifying element to the already dark music. The first side sets the mark … Read more
Adam Widener
Cola Kids Hanging Out in the Bubble Dome
Big Action (2012)
There are a few red flags that make me avoid records or, if you will, to judge a book by … Read more
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
Lost in the New Real
Inside Out (2012)
Few musicians are quite as busy as the Dutch composer and multi-instrumentalist Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Though he's known principally for … Read more
