CONVULSE are a classic Death Metal band in their own right. Since they reformed in 2012, after almost two decades of inactivity, with their third full length, "Evil Prevails", the band have experienced a resurgence in popularity and creativity, bringing their brand of powerful, vicious Death Metal to a new audience. Their latest, fourth full length, "Cycle of Revenge" shows the bands more experimental side, and takes a much more Melodic Death Metal focused approach to the music, and explores what the band are able to do musically, stretching their sound and style into new musical territories.

The albums opening, titular track, is a strong, mid-paced affair that blends melodic guitar lines with thick, guttural vocals. The contrast between the depth of the vocals and the lighter, almost clean tone of the guitars works really well, and it ultimately starts the record on a high note. "God Is You", the second track on the record, has a much more experimental edge to it, with some really distorted guitar lines and some really energetic performances on drums and guitars. This is the first, and definitely not the last, point on the record where different tones and textures are brought into the music in order to widen the scope of the music. "Pangaea" takes some more harsh distortion and applies it to a very melodic kind of Death Metal, to great effect, giving some moments on this relatively short song an almost psychedelic sound and approach. "Fractured Pieces", with its jarring opening chords and pulsing, rhythmic drumming, shows a somewhat darker side of the bands music, throwing plenty of dissonant guitar hooks in amongst the melodic flourishes that have categorised this record up until this point.

"Nature of Humankind" is one of the most impressive tracks on the whole record, with thick, groove-laden guitar hooks, thundering drums and a chunky. bubbling bass line, giving the overall track an almost Stoner Metal quality. This track doesn't have a single dull moment in it, and it manages to incorporate a lot of different guitar tones, from harsh to clean, which gives it a very interesting sound. "Ever Flowing Stream" is yet another brilliant song which sees the band expand their sound and approach into more progressive territories, even going as far as to drop the gruff Death Metal vocals in favour of some very airy and impressive clean ones. The music, on all fronts, is very atmospheric, and it's very easy for the listener to get caught up in it. The second to last track on the album, "War", has a lot of chaotic, intense moments, as well as really astounding fret-board gymnastics that illustrates the level of musical talent that Juha and Rami possess collectively. The final track on this record, "Into the Void", is a another great piece of bleak, atmospheric Death Metal with a progressive edge. It's a really impressive track with lots of melodic touches and murky, impenetrable rhythms, and it is a great way to end this record.

This is an album that is defined by experimentation, and is quite different from the sort of music that the band are known for. If you are a long time fan of the band, don't expect to hear the thick, sludgy dirge of albums like "World Without God". The elements that characterised these early albums have been, for the most part, stripped away and replaced with a much more melodic style, although there are points on this record, like "Nature of Humankind" and "War", that maintain these much harsher, aggressive tendencies that are closer to their first few releases. It's an impressive record, and I feel that it will appeal to both old and new fans alike.