10th February 2021

Review: “S.C.A” by Feast on the Fallen

Formed in the Steel City of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Metallic Hardcore quartet Feast on the Fallen have had their finger on the hair trigger since 2016 and dropped their debut “Hatemonger Demo” a year later recording with producer Jake Bennett and engineer Adam Grabowski of AMP Studios. That tag team also assisted with the follow in 2018’s “No Survivors” before shows with the likes of Ingested, Dead/Awake, Boundaries, The Last Ten Seconds of Life and even Bodysnatcher became the highlights of 2019…

…Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Jay Ruetschi, the third record from Feast on the Fallen sees them delivering more on the socially and politically aware lyrical concepts of corruption, oppression, authoritarianism, brutality and deceit which are placed into the metaphorical horror and post-apocalyptic themed wrapper. Against a backdrop of the heavier end of Metallic Hardore which borders on Deathcore territory at times, it’s a terrifying prospect for anyone faint of heart and not into Metal. “Initiation” brings a distinctive Beatdown Deathcore vibe that boarders on Slam territory with a single dark and dingy atmospheric and a pummeling groove. “Wastemoreland” picks up the pace with a blistering set of sinister riffs and a chanted vocal of clenched fists that comes with a warning. A far more traditional Metallic Hardcore track until the final third when those Slam esq vocals come back into the fray, this is one for the two steppers and spin kickers alike. “Cult” then switches things back to a more menacing groove that sits neatly between the previous track in its pacing and ends up a classic beatdown cut before the promise of downtempo which doesn’t quite materialize; instead it is saved for the later half of the almost tribal groove of the bone crushing “The Spirit Breaker“. A song which is a tale of two halves, an eclectic solo hilarious with those ear splitting, throat shredding deeper unclean vocal accompaniments. “Negative” matches off those tribal percussive sounds of the previous track with some 80’s Death Metal riffs that build up the brutality before pause break staccato riffs that fall just short of breakdowns set off the pit. Brutal, savage and with some real blunt force trauma moments, it’s the kind of work you’d expect from Harms Way on their next release. [7.5/10]

Track listing