Album Review: "Death Poems" by The Fifth Alliance

Death Poems

When people ask me what kind of music I listen to....

Well, I think of myself as a metalhead, because once you go metal, no one else will accept you. So, hopefully my little piddle patch here will show some others that just because we listen to extreme metal doesn't mean we can't rock out to some dance pop too.

But anyway, I didn't want to talk about that. How do you define metal?

Black Sabbath has zero in common with Metallica. Metallica has zero in common with Napalm Death. Napalm Death has zero in common with Ahab. Ahab has zero in common with Babymetal.

Metal has wound itself around so many things that it's created a forest of sub-genres, many of the devotees even see these as separate genres unto themselves.

So, today I'm telling you about an upcoming metal album that I find has zero in common with any of the aforementioned bands.

The Fifth Alliance

The label that sent me this record has a track record of releasing fringe metal.

That's the best way I can describe this.

The music starts off slow and calm and never really changes much out of that mode.

The blazing technicality metal is often known for is nowhere to be found. Distorted chords ring like Saturn.

The drums are a simple heartbeat. Blast beats are nowhere to be found. The bass, guitar, and drums play a melancholy tune that's more narrative than emotional.

Then the vocals kick in and the world is turned inside out. Mournful, terror inducing, completely amelodic...that's how I would describe them.

The scream in from the periphery, only to fall back into the shadows to chase away the tranquility of the music. The howling will awake you from the trance into which you have fallen.

The Fifth Alliance is like nothing else I have heard.

Release: 12/13/15
Genre: Fringe Metal
Label: WOOAAARGH
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