Finish Melodic Death Metal band NORTHERN GENOCIDE return with their second full-length album titled “The Point of No Return.” It has ten songs. “To Serve the Pestilence” is first. The harmonies in the opening guitar sequence are fantastic, and there is plenty of melody and aggression to go around. The vocals vary from sharp screams to deep gutturals, and even cleans in the chorus. “Harbingers of Genocide” is another song that balances weight and aggression with melody very well, and that is the very key to doing this genre the right way. The clean female vocals offer the listener something additional to connect with as well.

 “Icaros” is another winner. The snarl and bite of the harsh vocals are equaled only by the passion in the cleans, and the balance they maintain is strong. There is also some keyboards in the mix, and they thicken up the sound. “My Fortress” being with gentle strings that weep, followed by big guitar riffs. I instantly get the image of a fortress in my mind…a stronghold made of concrete that can’t be breached. The female vocals are almost calming amidst the roar of the harsh vocals. “Our Final Hour” moves with haste, and is a fast-paced and darker song with ominous qualities in the music. The harsh vocals tip through your flesh, while the cleans provide some medicine for your wounds.

 “Para Bellum” has a super catchy sound out of the gate, with the way the keyboards combine with the guitars. The harsh vocals are filthy here, dripping with hate, but the cleans balance things out. “The Engram” has another catchy sound and that is what really defines the genre. The electronics are almost necessary to balance out the aggression. Too  much one direction or the other, and the balance is lost. Overall, and I know I’ve talked about this a good deal, it’s the balance that is key to the album’s success. It was energetic, catchy, and even emotional at times, offering a fresh take on the genre.