Today, it's not an easy task to release a first album. These words are to show that many bands are recording, and only if you have a strong label to give you support, it can be an stressing experience to look for space on publications or even to make the fans give you attention. Yes, it's hard, because it's a tendency of modern times to keep closed on your own world and leave aside the experience (and pleasure) of discovering new bands. Bands as the quintet UNCROWNED, and their first release, the album "UnCrowned", is really very good.

Their musical work can be described as modern Melodic Death Metal, but not in the common sense that everyone knows. On the album, influences from modern Metal names as SLIPKNOT and DEVILDRIVER, but bearing the same musical elements from names as IN FLAMES, AT THE GATES and DARK TRANQUILITY, the titans who helped to create the famous (and for some fans, infamous) Gothenburg Death Metal. It's brutal and oppressive, with a modern outfit, but with very good melodies, based on a good technical level and amazing energy. These words mean: this is a very good release! The sound quality of the album was built to be aggressive and brutal in a way that can smash the bones and shred the ears of the listeners, but always in a modern clear way that allows the complete understanding of what the band is up to and what they can do. Yes, it's a fine work, including the choice of the instrumental tunes.

The brutal and modern "Devil's Thirst" (some modern Groove Metal parts can be heard on it, and the guitar solos that are presented aren't a common feature of this genre), the massive melodic aggressiveness of "Berserk" (another fine work from guitars, but the technical rhythmic changes supported by bass guitar and drums are great as well), the accessible Groove Metal parts of "Stand Your Ground", the excellent instrumental work heard on "For Hurry", the abrasive modern ambiance of "Hiding in Shadows" (the grunts are ok, but could be better), and the excellent mix between aggressive parts with melodic moments of "Prudence" (this one presents very good clean vocals, a feature that can be explored even more in the future) are the album's finest moments, but all the songs are really excellent.

UNCROWNED can be said as a revelation of the year with their first album. So give them a chance and hear how "UnCrowned" can sound good to your ears. And it's a pleasure to hear a new band coming in such high level of quality.