Album review: Death Blooms – Life Is Pain
British metalcore sluggers Death Blooms deliver heavy blows on vicious debut, Life Is Pain.
Metalcore is in the midst of a massive resurgence. Bury Tomorrow, Static Dress and Loathe are all soaring in popularity, as fans seek out the nostalgia of a chaotic breakdown, and even Bring Me The Horizon have dipped into their heavier past lately. With this in mind, the release of Death Blooms’ debut Life Is Pain couldn’t come at a more perfect time. The Liverpool quartet’s frenzied take on the genre incorporates elements of nu-metal, with a weighty dose of undiluted anger, for a record that’s explosively volatile yet still fun to listen to.
There aren’t necessarily any new ideas being presented, however, Death Blooms aren’t afraid to be creative with what’s at their disposal, and as the tracks progress, both melody and electronics are used in abundance. Vocalist Paul Barrow spits pure vitriol on songs such as Shut Up, a harsh juxtaposition to the cleanly sung portions of the likes of In Your Head, which lends an air of poignancy to each respective vocal part. With its subject matter centred around the negative of the human psyche and catharsis, there is potential for Life Is Pain to become monotonous in its rage, however Death Blooms channel this aggression with a diverse dynamic. Soaring melodies and ferociously charged riffs create the perfect storm and steer songs sharply away from middle-of-the-road territory.
With metalcore making such an explosive comeback, there are bound to be trend hoppers looking to cash in on the next big thing – it’s safe to say that this is absolutely not the case here. Death Blooms are a worthy addition, providing yet another reason to get excited about heavy music while simultaneously hitting with all the force and devastation of a wrecking ball.
Verdict: 3/5
For fans of: Blood Youth, Vexed, Loathe
Life Is Pain is released on October 22 via Adventure Cat.