Thine Eyes Bleed

In the Wake of Separation

The End Records

Score: 7.5/10; Thrash Metalcore

9 tracks; 36:22

Can an Ontario metal band get an objective review from Ontariometaldotnet? We might be biased - compelled to cheer on the home team. Well, you needn't fuss; I'm not from around here.

Thine Eyes Bleed are a new thrash metalcore band from London. In the Wake of Separation is their debut release and it's a very solid effort. If I wanted to be tacky, I could sum up the sound of this record in one line: a more hardcore-oriented Lamb of God. And I would mean that as a compliment. But, speaking as someone who has spun the living shit out of this disk, I would have to say that would be an overly simplified summary. I took blood samples. They were black and bubbling, with smoke coming off of 'em. So I can confirm that while TEB may not represent the discovery of a new species, it is an animal that harbors its own genetic composition.

Speaking of composition, this album boasts some craftily orchestrated songs. They're well rounded, with a robust mix of tempos (although mostly speedy) and rhythms. There's a healthy dose of sinister melody, as well, thanks to the guitars, which tend to drive the band's overall sound. Indeed, the guitar work sizzles, unleashing frantic chugging riffs, squealing pinch harmonics, and choppy staccato picking patterns in an ear-popping display of fretboard acrobatics. Studded with the injection of some Slayeresque solos, these songs lean more toward metal than core, that's fersher. Meanwhile, the drumming is equally tight, presenting plenty of groovy, fluttering double bass beats and searing crash symbol work. It's a little thin on fills though. Some more triplets and toms in there wouldn't have hurt. Not to be outdone, TEB's aggressive frontman dutifully churns out an onslaught of caustic, shrieking vocal tracks with aplomb. He even momentarily tunes his chords to the smooth setting at one point on the fourth track. This is a clue that there is potential for more versatility here, but for the most part, only a single bullet vocal sound manifests, which predisposes all the songs to sound too similar to each other. And a substantial chunk of the songs on the album are already somewhat lacking in personality, so the addition of more diverse vocal stylings could go far in taking TEB to the next level. The vocal layering in the mix is nice, though. In fact, the production overall is nice and crisp. However, you might have to stretch a bit to get a good feel for the slightly concealed bass guitar.

In sum, this is some whoop-ass shit. TEB might have a few kinks to work out, but I would have expected more kinks than this, considering it's merely their first record. I'm looking forward to seeing how they evolve in the days to come. This disk will appeal to fans of Lamb of God, Kreator, and At The Gates. Check 'em out.

Regan Perlett