Chicago, Illinois, a city with a well- known, predominantly hard edge. Bursting forth from this powerhouse city Death/Melodic Metaller's, BURNED IN EFFIGY released their newest album, "Rex Mortem", on January 28, 2022. "Rex Mortem" is an eight-track album that borrows from a bit of many styles of metal; from melodic, to death, to metalcore, to classic...BURNED IN EFFIGY touches upon them all. However, the internet lists BURNED IN EFFIGY as Melodeath. Ask anyone who knows me well and they'll tell you that anything within the Melodic Metal genre is my favorite sound. There's something about the haunting beauty, dark poetic overtones, and mixed brutality that is like a drug to my ears. I remember the day I came across Melodic Metal for the first time. It was a eureka moment for me, my brain went "WOAH!!!", and it has been a love affair ever since. So, reviewing such albums as this is always a pleasure for me. BURNED IN EFFIGY come in hot with stunning guitar and multi-talented vocals. Masterfully mixed with varied genres of metal, various vocal styles, and face-melting guitar riffs.

"Doomsayer" - Track one dives right in with an abrupt freefall into heavy guitar and screeching vocals. Violent, yet beautiful with its thought-provoking guitar riffs laced between its brutality. As far as Melodic Metal goes, you can definitely hear the Death Metal inclusions here. This is far from soft; this isn't your grandma's flavor of Melodeath! There are two types of vocals, the guttural type and the screeching type. Some parts of the screeching vocals remind me distantly of Dani FIlth in CRADLE OF FILTH; not quite as screechy as that, hence the phrase "distantly reminds me of".  "Artorias" - I love a good drum intro, and this track has that. Drums are an underrated part of metal, the backbone if you will. Eddie Dec's drumming prowess shines through very brightly. Yet the vocal style carries the current like a swift river into rage and release. Let's not forget the phenomenal guitar in this song too, lending a beat that is unmatched in awesomeness.

"Nightfall" - Melodic chords just speak to the soul somehow. I love Melodic Metal for this reason. No genre of metal makes my soul ache in singularity quite like this sound does. This track truly exposes that dark, poetic, haunting side of Melodic Metal. The guitar speaks to me so acutely. It's the feeling of screaming into the void somehow; the long, lonely tunes of forgotten hope. "Atlas" - Stunning guitar and bass tones, like angst in its purest form. Mark "Smedy" Smedbron's solid vocals in this song make this song a winner. For being new on the scene, BURNED IN EFFIGY, sure doesn't have that "new band" sound. For a new band to nail their style so perfectly is rare and such a pleasure to review.

In conclusion, BURNED IN EFFIGY is a great new band on the scene. "Rex Mortem" is an album that checks all my boxes. Melodic, violent yet pretty; hard edges framed by Victorian lace. And so, I would like to formerly introduce you to this new and awesome band. Definitely check it out. If you're anything like me, you'll love it.