Melodic Death Metal is whole musical genre itself, because it has not only one way. To say that it’s just the mix between the aggressiveness of Death Metal with melodies inherited from traditional Heavy Metal is a a shallow concept that can create many wrong ideas, and put limits where creativity can overcome the models. Maybe one can have an idea of how the genre is ample and deep hearing to “Orations”, the latest release of the North American quartet HOUSE OF ATREUS. The recordings and edition were done by Anxietous Nero (the band’s vocalist/bassist), creating a massive and aggressive sonority that bears the elements of classic Melodic Death Metal (as heard on albums as “Slaughter of the Soul”), but the carefully chosen definition that allows the understanding of what’s being played.

It’s nasty and distorted, but allowing the melodic and technical side of the quartet’s music to be understood. And the graphic side worked by Vhan Artworks & Printing (on the cover) and Dan Fried (layout) is really very good, contrasting with the band’s musical work. Musically, one can say that the quartet works on a trench that tries to combine melodies and aggressiveness alike, tempering their musical efforts with a good technical level, with grunts and shrieks being laid on a set of excellent melodic arrangements (even the solos are amazing in this feature). It’s an ‘updated’ form of classic Melodic Death Metal, full of energy and aggressiveness, but plenty of melodic hooks that can get anyone.

After six years since their past work, “From the Madness of Ixion” (released on 2018), one can say that “Orations” seems like a ‘we are alive’ release, to show the fans that they’re here to stay, as depicted on “Orations/Reascension of Mastery” (here the band depicts a more aggressive side of its music, with melodic interventions of the guitars on the arrangements, and what thunderous work of bass guitar and drums), “Thy Wounded Sovereignty” (this one shows excellent technical work to express the band’s melodies, sounding as a NWOBHM Death Metal band. The idea can sound weird, but’s what you’ll find on it, especially due the excellent guitar leads), “Under an Accursed Dynasty” (here the speed decreases and the focus is on a heavier outfit that enables the vocals to show and ample range of aggressive tunes, and what lovely shifts), “Morphos of Degeneration” and on “Cathedral of Ancestry” (on these ones can be found elements of the times when Death/Thrash Metal and Power Metal were extremely near due some influences similar to what’s heard on albums as “Show No Mercy”). And showing from where some of the quartet’s melodic influences comes from, here is a version for RUNNING WILD’s “Riding the Storm”, respecting its original elements, but with a Melodic Death Metal outfit.

Again: “Orations” sounds as a release to show the word that the quartet is alive. And HOUSE OF ATREUS is that kind of band that makes Metalheads thank for its existence!