Review: “Zone 63” by Buried Souls

Hailing from Lausanne in Switzerland, Buried Souls were conceived in 2010, their early works the combination of Sludge, Hardcore and Southern Metal with 2015 album “The Crossing” and 2017 EP “Worn Out” showing a steady evolution. That however couldn’t prepare us for the shape of Punk to come with their last album “Whispers” released less than twelve months ago finding the Southern Metal elements flushed away to be replaced with Death Metal. Recording, mixing and mastering in house “Zone 63” continues down that left hand path with five fresh cuts that promise to take a hammer to any preconceived ideas about what they sound like…

…variety is the spice of life as they say and so there is no need for Buried Souls to limit themselves or feel like they need to write in a particular niche, we’re all for self expression in Metal and lets faces it, these days bands can move between 3 or 4 subgenres within one cut effortlessly. The haunting instrumental opening passage “Lost in the Fog” creates an atmosphere of shrouded in darkness before the blistering title track “Zone 63” puts it’s head down like a horned beast and charges head first into oblivion. When things slow down in the mid section, the gears shift between seemingly Pestilence inspired Death Metal to Crowbar influenced Sludge before sliding back with consummate ease, the vicious vocals equally as scathing during both. “Fuelled by Hate” puts the hammer down with some perfectly weighted blasting and flecks of Blackened Hardcore Punk rise to the surface from the depths of the prehistoric tar pit. An Old School 90’s style headbangable riff parade, this is one that you’ll return to again and again because it sounds like it was made for MTV. Moving into Death Groove with verve and swagger “Trapped” sounds like Skeletal Remains playing a Pissing Razors cover, a cut to throw your friends into the mosh pit to with some blasting in the final third to raise the temperate a few notches. The vocals are the most violent abrasion on this one, the main riff having that air of familiarity about it that makes it as addictive as a designer drug. Last but by no means least, the Blackened Death Metal of “Shadow in the Sky” finds shriller uncleans cutting against deeper darker death growls as if Gollum met his twin brother in the bowels of hell. There is still time for some groove oriented riffs to rear their ugly head and to be honest all that’s wrong with this record is that it is way too short! Forget about rehab, give us more! [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Lost in the Fog
2. Zone 63
3. Fuelled by Hate
4. Trapped
5. Shadow in the Sky

“Zone 63” by Buried Souls was released on 15th November 2023 and is available over at bandcamp.