Druid – The Beauty In The Decay
Release Date: 3rd September 2021
Label: Independant
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Genre: Metalcore, Nu-Metal.
FFO: Loathe, Sikth, Oceans Ate Alaska, Make Them Suffer.
Review By: Calvin Ryan
Largely coming into the limelight after their performance on the virtual Knotfest show, Pulse Of The Maggots in 2020, the Melbourne wrecking crew have finally unleashed their debut full-length album unto us. Blending the signature Nu-Metal noise with their own homemade twist creates an environment where the band flourish and expand their genre melting music to the masses.
With the intro track lovingly called There Are No Humans With Personalities it throws you off as it’s sort of a heavy Trap beat, and vocalists Chris Mecuri & Jordan Williams rap over the beat before the band break into their influential sound and hammer down, before exploding into G.E.M. With a fury unleashed straight from hell itself, the band fires on all cylinders providing slams, breakdowns and no signs of slowing down. New singles Room 44 & DTHBLW still blast through the barrier as hard as when they were released as the dual vocals of Chris & Jordan dominate the record.
I, Exist (Voices) shows the band can go from slow to heavy in a heartbeat. Guitarist RJ Corcoran keeps up with the laser like precision of drummer Dale Owens, as they blast and melodically dance their way through the song. But by the time You’re Dead, Just Deal With It hits that first snare shot, you’re in for a wild Metalcore ride that shows the heavy sounding bass of Tim Lucas. The dual vocals continue to shred your larynx apart and equally soothe them, with demonic growls and operatic cleans that entwine into an explosive masterpiece. Noble Rot and Exitus are two opposite songs to end on as Noble Rot is as heavy as having a cinder block crush your balls while Exitus is a slower, yet heavy piece which shows the bands contrast to what they can achieve. And this is only their debut album.
The main feature you’ll pick up on is that the band seamlessly blend their Nu-Metalcore music with Hip Hop and Trap, which creates almost an atmospheric element to the album which from 2012 went away. But nearly 10 years later Druid are reinstating that element and have created something special. It’s not the first time a band has combined the genres to create this formula but Druid have pulled it off flawlessly.
It’s a heavy run through the Australians minds as they tear us apart limb from limb in the showcase of the year, and of Aussie Metalcore history.
(4 / 5)
