Decompose

Citadel

I was not able to gather much information about this band, save for a Facebook […]
October 23, 2022
Citadel - Decompose album cover

I was not able to gather much information about this band, save for a Facebook page with just over 1,000 followers. Their line-up was also not provided, nor do they have an entry on The Metal Archives. So we will have to let the music do the talking here. The album contains nine songs. The title track is the first. Smooth, mellow tones open the song, with charming melodies. Heavy, djent accents come in at the half-way mark, but the song is all about those pretty harmonies.

"Eons" begins with piano notes and more ethereal vocal harmonies. The bass guitar is audible here, which is nice. Harsh vocals come in, but the clean harmonies shine along with the guitar melodies. "Carnivore" is an aggressive and heavy blast out of the gates, with thick djent accents and harsh vocals. Keys help to temper the sound, along with clean vocal harmonies. I really like what I am hearing so far. "Ooalcile" begins with a substantial dose of keyboards to go along with the weighted guitars. Again, the clean vocals are very well done, and they let the melody develop in its own time.

"Malignant" features more heavy and aggressive elements and the vocalist can really roar out those harsh vocals. The cleans get just a bit predictable, but they are still a nice temperance. "Parasyte" is slower and more emotional song, with plenty of punch in the chorus. The band knows how to reach out and punch you in the mouth when they need to. They lose me just a bit with the heavy elements...the riff needs something more. "Our Sins" has more strong melodies. I really like the balance on the album. Too easy it is just to throw out heavy riffs and harsh vocals, but they do not take the easy way out.

"Sundered Souls" is another very pretty song. Keyboards hold much of the melody here, and the heavy accented rhythms provide texture to the sound. Sit back and soak this in because it's quite catchy. "Expire" closes the album. I love the opening sound. You can't paint them with a Metalcore brush, but they take chances, especially in the augmentation of melody. They let it all hang out there, and it tugs at your heart strings. The band has knack for developing smooth and catchy melodies on the album, and the heavy tones are not overdone. Keyboards and piano are smartly used here and there as well. This is heavy enough for the more ardent Metal fans out there, and melodic enough for reviewers like me who appreciate them. My only criticism would be that the band works a bit more on the heavy riff development. They are just a bit overly simple. But for an independent release, this was excellent, and leaves me excited for more from the band in the future.

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

8

Memorability

8

Production

8
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"Decompose" Track-listing:

1. Decompose
2. Eons
3. Carnivore
4. Ooalcile
5. Malignant
6. Parasyte
7. Our Sins
8. Sundered Souls
9. Expire

Citadel Lineup:

Unknown

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