Hailing from Tempe, Arizona, USA, DEAD WORLD RECLAMATION are a Technical/Melodic Death/Deathcore band. Formed in 2017, they released their debut in 2017 titled "Sentient." Now, they are back with their sophomore effort set for release on April 23, 2021, titled "Aura of Iniquity." The album contains ten tracks.

"Ripped from the Grave" leads off the album. It opens with chaotic lead guitars that follow a Classical scale. The drums roll forward powerfully, and the vocals are in the Deathcore realm. At times, harmonies come in with the vocals, but they are pretty unrelenting in their delivery. "Embrace the Hive" begins with some ambient clean guitars, but it gets very punishing from there. The lead guitars are all over the place, climbing up and down the scales, while the vocals vary from screams to guttural utterances. A breakdown is followed by glittering leads, again on a Classical scale.

"The Everlasting Hunt" wastes no time, attacking from the opening notes. Guitar and bass play nicely together in a synchronous nature, while the vocal screams reach the ceiling. The piano notes bring some diversity to the table. "Pantheon of Shadows" is a song that showcases the band's talent. Dissonant chords in the verses are followed by piano and spoken words, that I can't quite make out. There is might and power in the chorus. The orchestration can really be heard in this song. "Heralds of the Formless Ones" begins with slow, calculated notes, followed by choppy guitars and varies vocals. The piano in the background brings a little melody to an otherwise technical approach to the music. It slows to bass notes and piano, in a nice little duet, before finishing on a crescendo. "Arachnocratic Assemblage" begins with a steady pace, and some wonderfully done leads. As is often case in the genre, a lot is demanded from the drummer, and Mark Gray does a great job holding down the meter here.

"Whispers from the Evergloom" opens with lead guitars and rolling, thunderous drums. The guitars drop off a bit in the first verse, and the vocals are hushed. A heavy breakdown is accompanied by deadly, low vocals. The screams however almost sound like what you might get in the Black Metal genre. "The Void Bargain" begins with some melancholy leads over a bed of clean guitars, leading to some chaotic, but structured sounds. Another masterful lead guitar solo is offered here. "Those Born of Suffering" begins with sad, clean guitars that are very short lived. From there, the song takes shape, with some guitar harmonies and gritty vocals screams. At this point, the lead guitarist might as well be showing off, because many can he play. The song ends with a melancholy clean guitar passage.

"Plaguemaster's Legacy" closes the album. Opening with clean guitars and some light orchestration, it moves forward quickly from there. The tightness in which the band plays cannot be denied, and every member contributes equally. A repeated phrase of "they will remember me" plays well into the title of the song. One thing is for sure, the band is very talented. The fact that much of their music is based on Classical scales shows that the band have studied music theory. Every note is hit with deadly precision, and the self-production is very clear. The vocals are just a bit much for me, but if you like them constantly high and up in your face, you will surely enjoy the album. It's punishing, calculated, and technical. This album isn't for the faint of heart.