Review by Maverick on March 23, 2024.

Underoath's new legendary metalcore album impressed me, I don't mind their emo attempts at metal, but from a metal point of view - their emo stuff did stuck! There's alot that I can say about this new album, but one thing I definitely did notice was the absence of Aaron Gillepsie:

Firstly, there were no emo vocals, but rather progressive metalcore vocals, and Spencer's clean vocals which seems to act out calm didn't have the emo-ness anymore, there was emotion yes but not the self-pitying emo feel. That seemed to fit perfectly with the way he screamed, this new sound was different and after a few listens I started to love it.

Secondly, with regard to drumming I could hear a different form of percussion. It was that kind of "soft-agression" drumming, don't get me wrong their were times when I could hear heavy agression in these drumming patterns, but whenever the clean vocals came up I could still hear agressive drumming, but it wasn't in your face. Which brings me with the conclusion that Underoath was starting to enter a new stage of metalcore, not deathcore (heavens no!) but a clever and intelligent attempt at mathcore! The new drummer did bring along a mathcore sound coming from Norma Jean. I loved every second of it, this was definitely legend!

Third, the guitar wasn't that impressive sadly. It was filled with hard rock-ish riffs which really dissapointed me, this is where the drumming starting to make up for it. The album gripped me with the track "In Division" and left me calm with "Paper Lung" yet I was waiting for something more powerful and I was impressed after hearing "Illuminator" and "My Deteriorating Incline."

If you weren't impressed with "Define the Great Line" maybe this album will make up for it, I recommend it! It was really something awsome!

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Review by JD on June 4, 2012.

Anyone who knows me, already knows beyond a shadow of any doubt that I love Doom Metal. It is the one form of metal, other than traditional, that excites me the most. I have found one Doom band that successfully plays some amazing Doom Metal, with a little smatterings of Death to fill it out with. Ladies and Gentlemen... from Washington State... Anhedonist.

With down turned nasty riffs and some of the most intriguing and brutal lyrics, Anhedonist pounds out some impressive shit. Moving effortlessly between the spastic fury of Death Metal and the pounding heavy slowness of morose fuelled Doom... this Seattle based band makes the two sides of their metal coin live and pulse as if one beast. Add in the most intense and fury filled vocals to bring the music together - you get a heavy masterpiece of a metal orgasm.

This breathing beast of an EP showcases a band that has taken their art to a level that few can attain. Powerful lyrics of dire pain and torment mixed with original and heavy guitars take the listener to their world where the brave.. or it may be the depraved... would dare set foot. Haunting yet viciously heavy, the two main sides of the music whisks you into that world, even if your not wanting to, and holds you there for the duration of the forty plus minutes this EP clocks in at.

As a first full release, Anhedonist album "Neatharwards" is a fresh sound that has appeared out of a slightly murky talent pool that has shaken off the horrors of the whole Grunge movement. With such a strong sense of what their band’s sound needs to be, and the ability to bring it to fruition, they have laid the foundations to be one of those bands that many will fight to get to be as good as.

Categoerical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 9.5
Production: 9.5
Originality: 9.5
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9.5 out of 10