About.com Rating

Technical death metal as a genre can be limiting at times, with its bludgeoning aggression and extreme guttural vocals. The bands that are able to stand out in the genre are able to push the limits of the music. With the release of their third record Elements of the Infinite, Colorado’s Allegaeon can now be added to that short and impressive list.

The growth they have shown on this release is stunning.

The band underwent some internal changes, bringing in a new drummer and second guitarist. Core songwriter and guitar player Greg Burgess has stepped up and composed the best record of their career so far.

The band’s vision was to grow as songwriters and bring new elements into their songwriting while still remaining true to their origins. Allegaeon have succeeded and sound like they are out to prove they’re as good anyone in the genre.

Vocalist Ezra Haynes has fully embraced theoretical and practical science topics in his lyrics. They are the perfect match for the complex time signatures and rhythms the band spews forth.

Opener “Threshold of Perception” showcases the inclusion of orchestration right from the outset. Gorgeous acoustic guitars blend harmoniously with the symphonic elements before the neoclassical shredding kicks in. Outstanding guitar solos are performed alongside Haynes inhuman vocals.

The highlight of the release is the epic “Genocide for Praise – Vals for the Vitruvian Man.” At almost thirteen minutes, the band incorporates an excellent amount of diversity.

Riff after riff blasts forth, a mind-blowing experience that shows the potential that the genre can actually achieve when executed at this level.

This genre takes a special musician to perform and Allegaeon are all masters of their instruments. Guitar players Burgess and Michael Stancel are dominant throughout the release. The blending of sweep picking and arpeggios is performed flawlessly. They also incorporate a lot of feeling along with the technicality as well. New drummer Brandon Park makes his presence know as his performance matches the intensity and straightforwardness that the complex music demands.

Classical guitar has been missing in aggressive music as of late, and it’s exciting to see the band proudly add it into their songwriting. The intro and the last two and half minutes of “Genocide for Praise – Vals for the Vitruvian Man” are breathtaking. The beauty of the instrument should inspire any guitar player.

Allegaeon’s style could be monotonous, but the band does an excellent job of adding a ton of musical melody to the aggression. The drums are often triggered and all sound the same on technical death metal releases and it would be nice for a band to try and incorporate a more organic drum sound into their recording. The band’s true strength shines when their riffs are more complex and melodic and they stray away from the palm-muted metalcore riffs.

The band should be commended for not taking themselves too seriously as their new video for their first single “1.618” clearly demonstrates. Their music speaks for itself and the quality of the songwriting is what stands out. Elements of the Infinite  is as good as the genre has to offer.

(released June 24^th, 2014 on Metal Blade Records)