“Disconnect from my body, my spirit and my pain.”
Over the past 3-5 years there has been a re-emergence of the good strain of metalcore. The likes of Foreign Hands, Vatican and Serration have been crafting music with “old school” stylings of Killswitch Engage, Oceana and Walls of Jericho that, for a period, was overcast by the era of Architects and Bring Me The Horizon. Serration‘s split with Dying Wish and following material such as EP Shrine of Consciousness display a visceral sound that is now fully realised on their debut LP, Simulations Of Hell.
Serration pick up where they left off with opener “Boreal Serpent“. Its scathing vocals are backed by a popping snare, furious kicks and sawing riffs. There is a smile-inducing violence to the music that rises a little more as it closes out on a funky little disco beat. What follows in “A Suicide Note In Midi Format” is the crown jewel of Simulations Of Hell, featuring Emma Boster of the aforementioned Dying Wish.
Here, the vocal hook delivered by Boster is potentially one of the best choruses of the year, opening with the line “If god were listening, his will stronger than mine” have a pained graceful to them that sticks in the mind long after. The performance of vocalist Jake Braben is not be overlooked either, as “I’m just like you, a nobody” has a suffered delivery that cuts through. While some may find the cleans jarring at first, “A Suicide Note In Midi Format” is once again up there another top collaboration from Serration that has historcially included the likes of A Mourning Star and Cauldron.
The acoustic-led interlude on “Dried Flowers Bathed In Tears” gives a needed moment of respite. It’s also the first of a more rustic styling that Serration presents across the record, into which melodic elements have been charmingly blended. “Shroud Of Gnarled Tongues” by comparison is consistently merciless, and the sense that Serration have truly honed in their sound becomes apparent.
A dual punch comes in the form of “Chaos Daemon” and “Altar Of Guilt“, the latter featuring David Bloom of Sanction. The subtle tweaks on the drum rudiments are satisfying, and Bloom‘s feature adds in a little kick – nothing too shark like the previous feature, but still deserves listeners attention.
As the porcelain piano chords are played on interlude “Of The Shapes Of Humans And Hearts“, Simulations Of Hell is quickly thrown into its title track and closer. There is a volatility present on the vocals and shotgun kicks that sees the track spark into a bark of “The simulation is what’s healing me” and a brief but crunching breakdown. As the acoustics with electronics close out the record, and eventually shut themselves off as the removal of a cassette tape sample hits. While again, a subtle touch, it adds to the listened to experience of a record that can feel frail in the digital age.
Piecing together what Serration have crafted on Simulations Of Hell takes time. Its pace and the chaos packed in the record takes multiple listens to fully digest and are needed to truly resonate with it. The runtime is something many will likely point to, yet it’s difficult to feel short changed by what Serration have packed in here, and in a time where bloated records and deluxe editions upon deluxe editions are aplenty, something shorter but impactful feels welcome. And with Simulations Of Hell, Serration have continued to add to a discography that emboldens metalcore returning to its roots.
9/10
Simulations Of Hell is out September 15th via DAZE Records, and can be pre-ordered here.