TONIGHT WE STAND is a five piece modern metalcore band out of Venice, Italy. Founded in 2016, they wrote an EP album "Redemption" that showcased their innovative ideas on the modern metal scene. Their talent garnered the attention of Sliptrick Records, which then had them working on the debut album, "New World Disorder." Characterized by heavy guitar driven melodies, catchy choruses, and a well varied two vocalist attack, "New World Disorder" is a promising addition to the new wave of modern metal music.

The album starts off with a quick instrument track, "Damnation," before blasting forward with their powerful single, "Phobia." We are quickly met by a blistering guitar rhythm, pounding double bass, and deep heavy growls from Simone Rossi. Rossi carries the vocal melodies for most of the album. His growls are clean and diverse, ranging from a low guttural delivery to a higher wail. On countless tracks, Rossi is able to convey the emotion that singing about the harshness of reality and the human condition requires.

"Darkest Times" is next and is another quick track that shows off the songwriting ability of the band. Tucked subtly behind the heavy metal at the forefront is a woodwind centered orchestral background. This adds an element of elegance and elevates the song beyond its angry and aggressive tones. This combination of heavy metal and heavenly orchestra raises "New World Disorder" into a level beyond a so-called traditional metalcore album. Numerous elements of beauty are present to oppose the sheer darkness of the song material.

"Hollowgrams" is the next song that jumped out to me. It starts with a creepy, atmospheric guitar focused intro which is then hit by some high pitch screams from Rossi. Then, the baton is handed off to featured artist Lavinia Viscuso and she spits a flow about the individual's ability to overcome that would make Eminem proud. Personally, I love the contradiction that TONIGHT WE STAND conjures throughout the album. It's a very bold and creative choice to integrate a very 'Hip Hop' segment into their very serious metal album. The decision pays off. Viscuso's delivery is perfect. Her clean, beautiful voice raps perfectly enunciated words to then hand it off to Rossi to scream about taking control of your own destiny.

The other element that shows off the talent and diversity of the band is drummer Alessandro "Alex" Murello, who pulls double duty as a clean singer that's featured on numerous songs. His voice is soft and angelic, a bright essence that cuts through the dark atmosphere found in most of their songs. In the single "Phobia," he is the heart of the chorus, contrasting the growls from Rossi in the verses. In "Martyrs," he carries the melody in the chorus again, but this time, he joins with Rossi for extra effect. It's a strong component to the album that makes it overall a better listen.

It goes without saying that the instrumental members of TONIGHT WE STAND are all extremely talented. As musicians, they each delivered excellent performances and really have an ear for melody. The orchestration is a perfect element for them to round out their basic sound to something more than just aggression. And it is creative elements like alternating Rossi's growls with Murello's cleans or featuring a hip-hop section with Viscuso that pay off for some of the best songs on the album. Their debut effort "New World Disorder" is a strong effort that should catch the ear of metal heads all over.

Favorite Songs: "Phobia," "Hollowgrams"