SHREDDY KRUEGER is a Melodic Metal band based out of British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2011, "Deeper Darker" is the band's sophomore LP, and contains ten tracks. The title track leads off the album, a brief into that last just over one minute. It is rich with harmonies at first and then turns full tilt into vocals fry and a very heavy sound. Leading into "The Sky will Swallow us Whole," it has a Metalcore ring to it, with the combination of melodies, clean singing and super harsh passages of Death vocals. I say this will full compliment, as I have always enjoyed this style of music. Still, it isn't as overdone as some of the bands have done in this genre, and they really present the melodic elements well. "Ouija" has lush layers of harmonies and a commitment to really push positive elements into the forefront of the sound. There are some vocals fry here and there but they are background in nature.

"Deadman's Creek" marks some serious songwriting ability with its advanced sound that is both beautiful and aggressive at the same time. They really the mark with this song. The vocals absolutely soar. "Heathen" goes full tilt into Death Metal/Metalcore with brutal verses but melodic choruses that temper this with a sophisticated sense of the sublime. "Dread" is wonderfully complete. The main riff is bossy and the Death vocals push it hard, but the vocal harmonies take the song to great heights. It's rare in the Metalcore genre for a band to have this much balance between the two...a lot of times bands are heavier on one aspect or the other. "Gold Blood" oozes a variety of emotions from various sound techniques that they manage to intermingle together very nicely. There is a veritable smorgasbord of musical inventory in this track such that there is something everyone could love.

"Father's Hand" closes the album. It's a poignant song that involves some charged storytelling and a real sense of genuineness. You can hear anguish in the drawn out vocal notes and the fade out at the end puts a stamp on it. I must say that my expectations of this album were off. Taking into account the name of the band, I was expecting a sort of "party rock" album or a band that just doesn't take their music too seriously. The latter they talk about a bit in their bio, but also note that as artists, they want their music to be heard. Well, I am here to tell you that it does indeed need to be heard and they have some serious songwriting and musical abilities, as well as a sound that, while rooted in Metalcore, transcends the genre with their own unique stylings.