The deathcore scene in the last year or so been getting riptides crashing over repeatedly with circumstances that should even exist in the first place. However, Signs Of The Swarm have always been consistent, and delivering some pummeling music in the seven years this Pennsylvania based band resides from. Absolvere is the fourth full-length album and is the continuation into the band’s catalog and the follow-up to 2019’s Vital Deprivation which showcased a much more matured, contemporary and modernized tone of deathcore that seemed to get attention out of the scene. Now, Absolvere is released through Unique Leader Records and if you’re familiar with past Signs Of The Swarm albums then rest assure you know what to fully expect out of the band.
This album takes naturalistic structures, unleashes furiously crafted slam oriented fillers and ferocity with chaotic, gloomy and progressive layering has never sounded incredibly magnificent. From the heart pounding guitar sections, blasphemous drumming, experimented vocal deliveries and punishing factors of intelligent songwriting these Pennsylvanians have not only outdone themselves to create a symbolic album but they’ve created the deathcore genre incredibly unique without any copy/ paste formulas presented here. There’s handful of emotional tensions, barrage of madness and without any sorts of hesitation, the album continues to borrow elements of vicious melody into a atmosphere beautifully arranged this engages the listener extremely entertained to any deathcore fans wanting a sense where this album is taking the directional soundscapes start to finish.
They’ve also done a wonderful job separating the composition work keeping their instrumental leads to never stray away from the amazement of these talented musicians even when they generally play a straightened style of extreme metal bringing out pure waves of monstrous aggression. While maintaining the band’s pleasant drastic shifting, Absolvere is a album promising to not only win you over by its visualizing artwork but it’s a truly crafted and established albums in today’s modern day deathcore community. But if you want your album to be as brutal, technical and slamming at times, Absolvere is the most diverse and experimental albums Signs Of The Swarm has done to date.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
