27th October 2023

Review: “The Devil Has Evolved” by Akkadian

One of the many highlights of the 10th Anniversary of Tech-Fest was a set from Cambridge Groove Metal act Akkadian, a band with a glowing reputation for a live show and a clutch of singles that have raised their profile from humble beginnings in 2019. Each of those songs has steadily built on the foundations of their previous offerings while demonstrating growth in musicianship alongside their trademark hard hitting riffs, powerful rhythms and curiously psychedelic undertones. Having refined their sound in the forges of Valhalla and focused on themes of ancient history, mixed together with inter-dimensional and spiritual travel, the five piece have painstaking prepared their debut EP. “The Devil Has Evolved” and so have they…

…wasting no time at all, the fat free skull crusher that is “Second Sight” finds Akkadian unleashing an uncompromising statement piece of Groove Metal in its purist form. Slab after slab of brutal riffs provide something almost hypnotic trance inducing as the Cobra entices before the strike, the pummelling percussion the powerful driving force behind it. That isn’t to say there isn’t any melody to be found here despite the shriller unclean vocal savagery, a fleeting moment of clean vocal early on and a dark and brooding passage in the final moments with rich leads ensure this one can shift tectonic plates. Dabbling with electronics, title track “The Devil Has Evolved” echoes “Alien” era Northlane as it scythes through the ear drums with dark elegance, a stompy main riff broken by eerie touches making this one sound like it belongs on a horror film score. An evolution that doesn’t let go of any of the bands core sound but instead acts as a demonstration of what they are capable of, this vicious cut could open the door to an entirely new sound should Akkadian so desire. Continuing to push their boundaries and the extremes within their sound, “Teardrop” feels like a cover of something you might know and love from an American Hard Rock Radio band like Ugly Kid Joe that has been chemically enhanced to appear on the Donnie Darko soundtrack. Masterfully done, its a track that grows on you with each listen with 80’s synths adding depth and texture and a classic step up to unclean vocals in the final third before a DJent riff finale the absolute definition of a Chef’s Kiss moment. Each song here is very different and yet the band have written them so they sit very well together leaving us to wonder just where they could go from here [8/10]

Track Listing