Album review: Whitechapel – Kin

Veterans of a deathcore scene that’s not exactly known for doing things outside of the box, Tennessee sextet Whitechapel have always been one of the genre’s more fluid bands when it comes to their approach to songwriting. That attitude is prevalent throughout Kin, their eighth full-length, as they touch on everything from radio rock to nu-metal in order to accentuate the chugging aggression that lies at the heart of this record.

Kicking off strongly with the potent I Will Find You, Whitechapel trade in a muted acoustic opening for some titanic metal, as vocalist Phil Bozeman defiantly declares, ‘The devil is dead!’ There are more demonic offerings to be found by way of Lost Boy and the excellent To The Wolves, but Kin is at its most interesting when they bring in their more eclectic influences. History Is Silent is a fine example of this, as the band bounce between acoustic-tinged, Shinedown-esque rock and some undeniably epic choruses that dial up the heavy and recall Parkway Drive. More experimentation comes by way of mellow rocker Anticure and the brooding Orphan – the latter of which subtly leans of nu-metal – but it remains the case that Whitechapel excel most here when the softer moments are combined with their typically ferocious and no-holds-barred take on metal.

A confident, slick and coherent album, Kin is a fine addition to the back-catalogue of one of metal’s most cherished underdogs. The more experimental facets of the record don’t land every time, but there are far more hits than misses, and the result is a strong LP that sees Whitechapel push deathcore’s boundaries in a new and interesting direction.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Thy Art Is Murder, Parkway Drive, Shinedown

Kin is released on October 29 via Metal Blade

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