When releasing their five track EP New Light two years ago Massachusetts band Deadfall easily impressed and set up strong anticipation of things to follow with their djent carved progressive instrumentals. It was a release which sparked a real appetite for the creative explorations of duo Eddie Kim and Sean Dusoe. It also came with areas which you hoped they expanded further as well as elements where the release suggested it could benefit from investigating, like adding a vocalist and live drums. The Sentinel EP finds the band, now a sextet, has indeed experimented with and brought in those aspects as well as pushed their imagination and invention on, and the result is quite magnificent. The three track release is a thrilling and inspiring slice of progressive metal, the band still seeded in its initial sound but a fuller, healthier, and more potent beast.
Now alongside Kim (guitar) and Dusoe (bass), the Watertown based Deadfall consists of vocalist Chris Greene, guitarists Kyle Brennan and Keith Dusoe, and drummer Marc Brennan. Taking inspirations from the likes of Periphery, TesseracT, Meshuggah, Cloudkicker, and Animals As Leaders into their own adventure, the band has with Sentinel laid down a declaration of an emerging impressive force which can only improve to greater stirring heights. The release is a teaser to a debut album scheduled for later in the year and it certainly has hunger licking its ravenous lips in anticipation.
The title track opens up the release and immediately has attention snapping in its direction especially when the vocals and organic
feel of the drums make their early declarations. Initial contact comes from gnarly riffs picking and chewing on the ear whilst beats crisply lay their sinews across the instantly eager senses but it is the smouldering expressive tones of Greene which make the biggest statement for thoughts to leap upon and passions ignite to. His delivery is a Chino Moreno like wrap around words, a warm seductive tone emotively washing the intensive riffing and spiralling sonic invention of the guitars. The song is a startling and enthralling encounter and for those aware of the earlier release an exhilarating evolution. The persistent gnawing from riffs and rhythms adds riveting shadows and menace to the contrasting temptation and when vocals take on their own caustic growl later into the track, the union is sealed with rapacious majesty.
The other two songs are re-workings of two of the instrumentals on New Light, and it is fascinating to hear and see their progression from exploratory and open promise into intense and scintillating pieces of carnivorous beauty. The first Shades Of Inception takes no time to wind the senses into its muscular knot of sonic manipulation as brawling coarse vocals rage against their walls. Whereas the original version took its time to ignite its predatory passion now it is more urgently into its attack, softening up its victim for the following melodic voice of Greene and the atmospheric caressing keys to colour a tempering ambience against the rabidly tinged riff fired confrontation. Again there is nothing but lustful satisfaction ignited by the eagerly shifting blend of aggression and resourceful elegance. Deadfall have discovered the perfect alchemy to merging spirited spitefulness and incendiary incandescence, a result which leaves the listener basking in hot-blooded imagination.
Final track The Divergence shimmers with melodic crystalline warmth and light bursts before being cored by another torrent of voracious djent honed riffs, once more the union irresistible and skilfully brought to bear on the ear. Bruising and alluring in the same and every breath it takes, the song escapes into every pore, synapse, and esurient thought rife before its enterprise, whilst conjuring another unique and contagiously evocative blaze.
The Sentinel EP, as impressive as it is straight off the bat reveals more of its triumph with each additional venture, the already renowned guitar craft of Kim creating stunning paintings of sound aided and matched by each element and member of the band. Deadfall has arrived at its full sound but the EP still only suggests they are scratching the surface of their promise which is undeniably exciting. As a name your price release their Bandcamp page, there is no reason not to make the first step in joining their sure rise which has its next major landmark one suspects with the forthcoming album.
9.5/10
RingMaster 17/06/2013
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the depths of existential contemplation as the venture moves through magical worlds lined with fantastic creatures and surreal imagery, Transcension opens up its experience with The Augur and takes mere moments with its first breaths of sonic guitar beckoning to draw strong attention. Soon into its charged presence with the excellent vocals of Thompson making a further deeply persuasive introduction to the unfolding lyrical emprise and mutually charismatic sounds, the track stirs up appetite and emotions with continually intriguing and evolving invention, intensity and melodic imagination a fluid shifting instruction for hunger and rapturous reactions.
as soon as the recognisable voice and taunt of Diani’s bass and the vocals of Yap encroach the ear everything steps into place musically and emotionally for the passions. As spine-tinglingly distinctive as ever and ripe with that expected sense that band and song are about to leap for the jugular, the track instead takes its time, teasing with chilled atmospheric embraces and melodic dances whilst drums brew up an agitated framework to further captivate and feed on the listeners reactions. Once the explosive heart of the track does erupt air is driven from the lungs and thoughts ignited from the blaze of rapacious energy and provocative lyrical persuasion. The track continues to ebb and flow in intensity and attack but is a continual aggravator of the mind and instigator of unashamed selfishness to hear and feel more from the song, which it delivers with raging invention across its rhythmic barracking and sonically carved melodic fascination.
bold and feisty presence known. With firm crisp beats and a great roving bassline instigating undiluted focus with their lures the guitar sabre sweeps with acidic and appealing flashes of sonic temptation across their intriguing design. It is not long before the expressive vocals offer an evocative plea to add to the emotive wash in place and as the music sweeps into imaginative corners and inventive ideas the further the song expands, there is a solid springboard for satisfaction to launch from. Admittedly the track never truly ignites and seizes the senses but the enjoyable adventure given is impossible to dismiss.
stroll of crisp rhythms, attractive basslines, and tight sonic dances on the ear by the guitar. It is an easily accessible song which is welcoming with melodic hugs and impacting twists rife in its alluring journey. The vocals of Blackwell are good without being dynamically ear catching whilst there is a familiarity to the track which feels like a mix of The Cars and Bon Jovi in many ways but with the music certainly diverting focus its way it is a more than decent introduction to release and band.
cast by exhausting riffs and vocal searing whilst its successor raises the game of the album with hungry rhythms amongst niggling sonic persuasion clad in toxic grooves which lead the passions into a greedier appetite. There is a punk grazing to the vocals which leads to whispers of Municipal Waste and Suicidal Tendencies, though the song is firmly entrenched in the seeds of bands like those we mentioned previously, and with a sudden brief guttural expulsion there is equally an extra vapour of death metal to the imagination.
