“I’m trapped inside my own self-made prison.”
A complete flip in sound is seldom seen across modern core, or any genre for that matter. Even more scarcely observed is an increase in popularity and commercial success, as bands that take such a risk often rely on previous triumph if the direction proves misguided. Within Destruction’s “Deathwish” is among the more instantly recognizable deathcore tracks of the late 2010s. Chances are you and/or your friend(s) have empathically blared it at least once in all its bree-bree-filled glory. At one point in time, all signs indicated that Within Destruction was irrefutably nearing the status of a household deathcore name. In every literal sense, there more than likely was not a single, solitary soul on the face of the earth that could have seen what was to come next for the Slovenian outfit.
Vast experimentation across several genres during the COVID era aside, you would’ve been very hard-pressed to have even the slightest inkling that Within Destruction would make an almost complete one-eighty to Japanese-inspired metalcore. Yet that is, in fact, what was ultimately in store for us with Yōkai. Initial opinions seemed rather divisive despite many still appreciating Within Destruction’s willingness to venture outside of their defacto sound. The only question that remained was whether Within Destruction would continue down the cherry blossom-encumbered path of metalcore or return to their slam-filled alien deathcore roots.
Following up in 2022 with Lotus, Within Destruction made it very clear that Yōkai wasn’t a mere one-off trial of deviation from what they had previously put out. By now, even hardened fans of their early projects appeared to be acquiescing to the Destroy All Humans turned Ghost of Tsushima infused elements of Within Destruction’s newly established convention. And while the trio made a brief return to alien deathcore with their 2023 EP Rebirth, that proved to be a lone celestial reconnaissance.
Given the avenue Within Destruction has adamantly held over the last half decade, anime might have been the only logical next step in terms of influential expression. For proponents of the early YouTube AMV days, their latest venture appears to be made just for you. Toning it down even more from a pure heaviness perspective whilst still sneaking in mosh-worthy moments, ANIMETAL is the latest installment in Within Destruction’s bifurcated musical journey. The result is a ridiculously fun album that maintains a consistently high quality of sound throughout its entirety and thematically exhibits the conceptualized proposition of something for everyone.
ANIMETAL is an album not meant to be taken too seriously. That is precisely why it’s as well-executed as it is. The superb vocal duo of frontman Rok Rupnik and guitarist/clean vocalist Howard Fang feel specifically tailored to deliver Within Destruction’s most anthem-plentiful record to date. If you were also an admirer of the EDM-esque sound of Lotus, numerous rave-notable synths and beats are sprinkled from front to back on ANIMETAL.
Despite the more ballad-heavy tracks such as the titular song, “DEMON CHILD”, and “KANASHIBARI”, indulgers of Within Destruction’s progenitive work should still find familiar moments on ANIMETAL. Several of the album’s tracks feature crisply produced breakdowns and blast beats curtesy of Fang and longtime drummer Luka Vezzosi that are well-aligned with the group’s original sound (namely “TORMENT” and “AUTOMATION”), albeit not to the muster of their first three albums. Once again, that is perfectly fine. The immaculate flow from the standpoint of how ANIMETAL’s sounds oscillate and meld are just what you should expect from a record that could be used as a modern anime soundtrack.
As we are well aware, media—inconsequential of what kind—is meant to be consumed and idealistically enjoyed by individuals of differing backgrounds and tastes. It feels pertinent to remind ourselves of this notional outlook due to ANIMETAL’s structure. As previously mentioned, those who have followed Within Destruction since the very beginning should find plenty to appreciate on this album. The very same can be said for those who were not as fond of their deathcore foundations. “A LOVE THAT SLOWLY DIED”, “STAY 4EVER”, “CYBERGIRL”, and “FATE // SEPARATE” all exemplify this effortlessly behind Fang and Rupnik’s catchy choruses atop appealingly integrated synths. A true modern core charcuterie board, ANIMETAL is undeniably all-inclusive. That in and of itself is an exceedingly rare feat to achieve not just in music but in artistic mediums en masse.
Within Destruction are the textbook definition of an anomaly. Sometimes we may be rightfully asking ourselves: Is this really the same band that created From the Depths, Void, and Deathwish? That examination continually seems germane simply because of the cosmic shift in their sound over the course of the previous five years. Deathcore is what got Within Destruction on the map, and rightfully so. Yet the metalcore-dense Yōkai, Lotus, and now ANIMETAL are what have propelled Within Destruction on an ever-evolving odyssey to stardom within the scene. Flip on Naruto, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, or whatever; ANIMETAL is here. And it is oh so fun and just as gracefully presented as its inspirational counterparts.
8/10
ANIMETAL releases on April 11th through Sumerian Records, and you can preorder it here.