SALEM TRIALS is a band from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that has released music since 2019, having 1 ep and several singles in their Bandcamp site. The name SALEM TRIALS draws its inspiration from a significant historical event, the Salem witch trials of the late 17th century. This dark and tumultuous period in colonial America serves as a powerful metaphor for the band's exploration of human emotions, struggles, and the dichotomy between light and darkness. The trials' deep-rooted symbolism speaks to the challenges we face as individuals and as a society, where judgments and biases can lead to unjust consequences.

The progressive vibe is something that they have since their beginning but they have turned the alternative /hardcore/some djent/metalcore feeling of their previous songs to a more evil and progressive deathcore sound throughout the pass of time, which is a very tasty improvement. A high point of them is their slow tempos with marching drums and technical/progressive riffs and solos in an aggressive pace. Moreover, their riffs sound very occult and eerie, like taken from other genres like Black metal. This ep with 4 songs is about 15 minutes and even having a deathcore base it has some industrial death metal layered cap made by their sole instruments, adding down tempos, break downs, a high pitched and scary voice with great chosen moments for heaviness and speed.

The cover shows us three specters in white robes in a gloomy forest which remind the spirits of those witches burned during the religious trials of antiquity. "Salem Trials - Immolation" starts with a pounding drum roll and a shrieky voice taken to the limit, to then go with a fast blast section with progressive riffs. Spectral voices with good down tempo parts for an amazing finish. "Never Ending" starts with a fast melodic death metal pattern, followed by groovy galloping drums added to a Swedish old school death metal flavour, also breakdowns aggressive sections for fans of death grind bands. To finish, eerie progressive solos and brutal death metal breaks and growlings.

"Cenotaph" sound a little industrial death, groovy and with a metalcore scent, a reminiscence of their early works. The lyrics are sung for a possessed shrieking voice shifting to deep growls to add a dark atmosphere to the song. "Nocturnal Creation" starts with an eerie and dark riff, a slow tempo song with tasty progressive riffs, marching drums and a howling voice. A great finish with a shredding and progressive solo. Beautiful. This Ep is a good entry for upcoming albums in which that could give us more of their new and sharpened approach. All tracks show a high level of composition and musicianship, both as individual instruments and also as a collective force.