From their EPK, “Formed in Topeka, Kansas in 2019, Tundra are a band that bring together the deathcore and metalcore genres and create something unique from the resulting elixir of riffs, heaviness, emotion and power. In 2020 they self-released an album and an EP, beginning to build a name for themselves on their local scene and singles followed in the next couple of years, continuing that momentum. Invitations to perform at bigger and better live shows began to flow and by 2024 the behemoth that is Rottweiler Records had taken notice…TUNDRA were signed. Now as 2025 dawns they are preparing to release their second album, the first with powerful label backing behind it and what a monster it is…a demonstration of what deathcore and metalcore can really be when the genres are pushed to their limits and sculpted by fierce imagination and creativity…this is “Eternal.”

“Alone” is the first song; a two-and-a-half minute introduction. The music is weighted, but the clean vocals are just a bit pitchy. “Welcome to Hell” is the first proper song, and it comes barreling in like a runaway freight train. The harsh vocals give the sound a more pure edge when it comes to the genre in my opinion, but the band rests too much on open notes and sheer aggression. “The Witch” is another brutal offering, and suits the band’s strength better than the clean vocals, which can come off as too gentle at times. They have the heavy end covered well. “Smoke and Mirrors” opens with clean tones, but descend into madness pretty quickly. There are strong melodies also, but they combine with the bottom end in a dissonant way, leaving me to wonder if that Is deliberate.

“911” begins with a phone call that is almost unanswered. From there, it creeps along with thick and meaty bass notes and a good deal of tension. The phone rings again, and they get the standard “you have reached a number that has been disconnected.” “Insane” has crushing tones, and the harsh vocals bite hard. In the background are mysterious tones that bubble behind the darkness. “Revelation” has some influences that are close to Punk at times, and closer to Deathcore at others. The combination of the two leaves the listener engaged. Again however, the clean vocals are not quite up to par for me. “You Are” closes the album, and I applaud them for the melodic and gentle offering which is different than the others.

The album shows a lot of promise, but is not quite there yet. The band twists the bottom end with skilled hands, warping it into instruments of torture and death. The clean vocals however can come off a bit too gentle, and the roar of the harsh vocals are their best bet of the two.