17th March 2020

Review: “Trauma Model” EP by Alpha Virus

Downtempo Deathcore Groove act Alpha Virus are a band that we know all too well. The Huston Texas heavy hitters have been releasing new material on a regular basis and each time seem to manage the unthinkable and surpass themselves. Produced, mixed and mastered by Davide Aroldi at Hvze Recordings, vocalist Triston Parker, bassist Zak Boyle, guitarist Anthony James and drummer Roger Soza put their collective faith in guitarist Brendan Murphy to handle the recording of their latest outing “Trauma Model“.

A sample of Michael Caine from Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” opens “Killing Season” with “…some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the World burn” before a skull crushingly battery of Deathcore Groove in powerhouse fashion takes hold with a eerie tension synth underpinning the dark, moody aggression. Feedback feeds straight into “Hostile” which continues the stylings with some big chugging riffs and thunderous kit work from Soza. Parker adds in some Slam vocals that create a different dynamic but it’s far from his main attack so you get a nice balance. The perfect ratio of frosting to cake if you will. Without pause we flow straight into “Public Enemy” which gives the feeling of being the third chapter of the same song as it uses the same crushing tones and dark synth atmospheric to create the haunted house vibe. Taylor Barber of Left To Suffer makes a guest appearance and what we’re left with is a nauseating prospect, in a good way, as it swings and punches.

Going heavier on the synths for the pre-chorus, “Body Bag” is has an evil nursery rhyme feel under the weight of its Downtempo Deathcore gravitational pull. The slow crush is balanced off perfectly by some well worked tempo shifts and it’s a stand out hellish cut and obvious first single choice. Parker showcases the further vocal range on the final cut “Antagonist” with some higher pitched tones that give a fantastic contrast and the sense of two vocalists instead of one on the track. Another stand out, it jack hammers it’s it’ through with some churning riffs as Parker points the finger at someone who has crossed him as declares they’re dead to him [8/10]

Track listing