Structural – Decrowned
Release Date: 23rd June 2023
Label: ViciSolum Productions
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal.
FFO: Anata, Obscura, Arsis, Gorod, Aeterman.
Review By: Carlos Tirado
I must admit, as a reviewer, it’s not every day that I have the opportunity to review an album produced so close to home, even connected to my local metal store. Because of this proximity, I genuinely want to see the underdogs succeed. However, I won’t hand out praise for free. My expectations might even be higher than usual.
Structural is a band that has clearly mastered the delicate balance between Melodic Death and Tech Death, infusing their own folk influences. Their melodies distinctly evoke where they are from, reminding me of Aeternam (an excellent band you should check out). Balance serves as an intro track, and although I typically dislike such intros, this one sets the mood nicely. It is followed by Your Damnation, which encapsulates everything I desire in my Death metal: speed, heavy riffs, catchy melodies, technical prowess, and rebellious lyrics. And The Earth Has Rested features dry riffs that blend well with the more serene melodies playing in the background. The bass work is a standout element in this song. Utopia kicks off with a shredding fest, but progressively introduces several intriguing ideas. Purge Of Sanity is undeniably catchy, which in the realm of Tech Death is a genuine compliment. I would also like to point out that Structural sounds reminiscent of Anata, the best Death metal band you’ve probably never heard of.
So, what are the downsides? Well, the album is well-balanced, and everything sounds nice, especially the bass and the vocals! However, it suffers from excessive compression, particularly affecting the drums. To my ears, they lack the desired heaviness. Additionally, I feel that the album tends to drag a bit. While the songs are good individually, perhaps having one or two fewer tracks would have helped maintain the album’s pace. As it stands, I find myself needing breaks while listening because it’s just too long and the songs a bit too like each other. Personally, I adhere to the belief that unless you’re creating Grindcore, albums should generally stick to 10 songs or even fewer. On the bright side, the individual songs aren’t overly long. It’s just that as the album reaches its conclusion, distinguishing between the songs becomes increasingly challenging.
Overall, Decrowned is an exciting effort that may have a few hiccups but effectively showcases Structural as a strong player in their scene. I am confident that in their next album, they will be able to evolve and reach their prime. Regardless, I encourage you to give them a listen, as I’m sure they’ll surprise you!
(3.5 / 5)
