Upon A Burning Body – Fury
Release Date: 6th May 2022
Label: Seek & Strike
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Genre: Deathcore, Groove Metal, Thrash.
FFO: Pantera, Lamb Of God, Bleed From Within, Emmure.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
San Antonio, Texas quartet, Upon A Burning Body, are back with their highly anticipated full-length album, Fury. Continuing in the same vein as 2019’s Southern Hostility, Fury adds even more ferocity to the band’s signature deathcore/groove-metal sound. Fury features Danny Leal on vocals, Ruben Alvarez on guitars, and drummer Tito Felix. The band claims the new addition of Thomas Alvarez, biological sibling of Leal and Ruben Alvarez, on bass and backing vocals was the final element needed to refine their sound. Check out Fury on May 6th and you can be the judge of that!
A New Responsibility starts the album off like a shotgun blast. Right off the bat, you can tell Fury has quality production, which has sometimes been lacking on previous releases. The rhythm is precise and robust, and Alvarez continuously throws down monster riffs. Leal’s vocal stylings really shine in this track, with the gritty demon growls, the beautiful pterodactyl highs, and everything in between. The first single, Snake Eyes, is a personal favorite, but the video possibly scarred me for life. Just saying. There are some decidedly thrash-y elements in this bad boy, and I’m all about it. There’s a nice little guitar solo that hearkens back to the best of the early 90s, and Leal really sells it, matching the vocals with the kind of old school thrash vibe they’ve got going on. They even bless us with a nasty bit of a breakdown to remind us they haven’t left deathcore too far behind. Is thrash-core a thing? I guess it is. This song has been on my playlist since it dropped in October 2021, and I never get tired of it.
Shapeshifter is a brutal track with a lyrical theme to match. The thundering rhythm takes off immediately, as the beast comes “awake to the full moon’s calling…” The dynamics shift to punctuate the gruesome storyline elements, but the intensity of the track never wavers, reaching terrifying heights as Leal growls, “sinking teeth/bloodthirsty…” Meltdown is another standout track, and it’s relentless with its heavy groove. The ambient siren-like wailing contributes to a towering wall of sound that just begs for a circle pit. I predict this will become a fan favorite, highly requested in their live sets.
Thunderheart takes it down just a notch, but it’s a solid, mid-tempo stomp with some sweet leads and a singable chorus. Kill the Ego stays more in that mid-tempo range, but Ruben Alvarez keeps the groove-laden riffs coming while Felix and Thomas Alvarez lay down a solid foundation. Leal shows off his cleans in the chorus, but there are plenty of growls and screams to be had in the verses. Clarity begins with a slow, menacing guitar intro before Felix comes in on drums like a jackhammer. The shockingly pretty chorus could easily be dropped into any metalcore hit, and it’s a nice contrast to the savagery of the verses.
The ambient instrumental interlude Sweet Serenity provides a little respite before Who Am I reminds you where you are. This track starts off like a slow burn, but it builds into a gut-punching chorus that is classic Upon a Burning Body fare. Code of Honor was written as a tribute to anyone who has served, or is serving, in the military. Not surprising, it hits like an anthem, especially in light of the sweeping clean vocals of the chorus, exhorting listeners to “walk through the fire.” There’s no compromising on the heaviness, however, and the final track, Humbling My Skin, punctuates the album nicely. It kicks off fast and furious and never lets up on the aggressive swagger.
It’s clear Fury picks up the gauntlet thrown down by Southern Hostility. Upon a Burning Body has obviously built on what worked in the past, and that has definitely paid off here. Perhaps a little less deathcore and a little more groove and thrash, but none the worse for it. The addition of Thomas Alvarez certainly seems to have galvanized the band, and it feels like they’ve gotten their second wind. Leal’s vocals sound better than ever, the band is tight, and their overall sound is vigorous. If you’re in the mood for some southern metal along the lines of the mighty Pantera, this is definitely up your alley.
(4 / 5)
