I always commend bands that pull together two subgenres in the effort of bring something new to the table. Perhaps in a bid to electrify and give some fallback traits to Deathcore, French Deathcore maestros YEARS OF TYRANTS have boldly combined technicality with all the attributes of music that ends with the suffix -core, lending eccentricity and creativity to their latest album, "Leading The Blind".

This is not your typical Deathcore band - do not expect any predictable breakdowns or repetitive verses - YEARS OF TYRANTS take the genre to whole new level - exploiting (what I assume must be) the jelly fingers of lead guitarist Brice Gauthier - who through his insane harmonies and lead work, lends a PERIPHERY vibe to the album.

With their outright brutality and speed, YEARS OF TYRANTS is no doubt a "-core" band. However they bring with them sophistication and technical mastery, and together with the staples of Deathcore operating in the background, they create a rather interesting musical experience. The band call themselves the missing link between technicality and brutality - bringing them to the ranks of NECROPHAGIST and DECAPITATED. All the "-core" elements are not lost in the sea of technicality however, so fans of straight-up Deathcore will still have something to relate to as the lead guitars are never distracting from the rhythm parts of the song. Complex riffing is rife in this album, along with varying tempos manifested through the powerful rhythmic pair of Florian Imbaud and Benoit Peichert. Of course - the proponent of all technicalities - speed, is the catalyst for all this, and it is masterfully tackled and tastefully manipulated through complicated rhythmic passages.

The best thing about the album however, is how the band stays true to their Deathcore element without ever compromising their technical quality. To be honest, the album would be difficult to listen to if it weren't for the archetypal Deathcore breakdowns, laced with old school sensibilities and experiment-minded technicality. YEARS OF TYRANTS is highly versatile and for a Deathcore band, the vocals are immaculately dynamic. In fact, all the instruments are impressively dynamic - the music feels alive. The delivery is absolutely ferocious: energy is abounded and in killer levels too. Perhaps it was their plan, but the songs are all rather short. This might have been done with the intention to allow their listeners breathe through the album - toning down the brutal attack prowess of the album and making it more accessible. If that is what the band was gunning for, it worked, because I sat through the entire album without ever once rolling my eyes - a phenomenon that all too often plagues otherwise-talented bands in the Technical Death Metal sphere.

Overall, this is a highly impressive album. I have almost nothing bad to say about it, except for the fact that if they wanted the songs to be so short in order to ensure a comfortable flow, maybe they should have had more songs and take every opportunity to showcase their brilliance. It is not the first time Technical Death Metal has been fused with Deathcore, but YEARS OF TYRANTS is one of the excellent bands that have undertaken the task. I would recommend this album for any metal enthusiast, whether they be from the "-core" fandom or otherwise.