SYNLAKROSS were formed in 2008, and they are from Valencia, Spain. They play a mixture of melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, and alternative Metal. After releasing one EP and four full-length albums, “Mental Parasites” is their fifth album. It was produced, mixed, and mastered by Facundo Novo (ANGEL NEGRO; SCARECROW AVENUE). The album has a length of 38 minutes, and it is an independent release. The album starts with the track “Cherry On Top”, and after a very short intro, the sound develops into a crushing mid-tempo track with aggressive and tight guitar riffing, enriched with a few electronic effects. The vocals drive the track forward, with a mixture of growls and clean vocals, where both parts cover almost the whole vocal range. Those who are familiar with the SYNLAKROSS catalogue will recognize their very own signature sound. “Bunnies And Bows” continue with the melodic Death Metal and Metalcore journey. It is a track with some complexity and twists and turns across genres, ranging from devastating Death Metal parts via melodic Metal parts towards the addition of Cyberpunk elements. The SYNLAKROSS sound rarely follows traditional verse/chorus song structures, and therefore “Bunnies And Bows” (among other tracks) might be a challenge for the traditional listener.

“Freak” starts hammering with thunderous guitar riffing at mid-tempo and the growls at around the medium end of the guttural range. In between the growls there are a few clean vocal notes added, which adds an extra layer to the track. There are a few changes in tempo and rhythm added to the track and the parts at a measured tempo come with the clean vocals most of the time. The final part is a crushing Deathcore inspired down-tempo part. “Freak” has been released as official video, and the YouTube link is provided below. “Mental Breakdown” starts with a short intro leading into more devastating riffing at a measured tempo. The vocals are again a mixture of growls and cleans, and the song texture is again complex with a crazy assemblage of different subgenres including Punk and progressive elements. “Paranoid” is more straightforward, direct, and a very aggressive track. The riffing is tight and punishing, the growls are coming straight from the abyss, and all this is accompanied by the relentless double-bass drumming. Despite this hammering, there is still room for adding a few electronic samples. The melodies are dark with a few traces of melancholy. “Paranoid” is one of my favorite album songs. “Drama Queen” starts fast, with thunderous riffing, and with deep-lying growls. It does not take long for the growls to switch to higher pitched screams, and when it comes to the slower chorus parts, clean vocals are added to the track. Almost all tracks include a few electronic effects, and “Drama Queen” is no exception. The highlight of the track is the very contributing lead guitar solo.

“Popcorn” starts with a short pummeling of the listener, transitioning into a mid-tempo track with tight and powerful guitar riffing. The growling vocals undergo plenty of guttural shifts and the vocals drive the track forward. It is a back and forth of fast pummeling parts, mid-tempo parts, and slower parts when the clean vocals kick in. “Popcorn” is arguably one of the heaviest album songs. “Dickhead” is a mixture of mid-tempo and measured tempo, and the track is more melodic Metalcore inspired, but embedded into the SYNLAKROSS signature sound. The vocals use many deeper notes during the clean parts and go across the whole guttural range during the growling parts. “Dickhead” is perhaps a good example how versatile Patricia Pons vocals are. The album finishes with “Razor Blade” and it is a slow song starting with the guitars and the clean vocals. It is a track with some ballad-esque features however, the break is crushing with punishing riffing, crunching basslines, and increasing the pace of the track. “Razor Blade” is a good way to end the album.

SYNLAKROSS deliver their best album so far. “Mental Parasites” is a nine-track journey across genres and styles, but by staying true to their Metalcore and melodic Death Metal routes. The album follows the unorthodox and experimental sound patterns of recent SYNLAKROSS albums, and some bits and pieces are inspired by the previous album “0K4M1”. The central element of the trademark SYNLAKROSS sound is vocalist Patricia Pons. She has an excellent performance throughout and is definitely on top of her game. Patricia Pons gives the album an extra dimension. The album is very well produced. “Mental Parasites” is a must-have album, and it belongs to the album collection of those melodic Metalcore and Death Metal fans, who are not afraid to cross boundaries.