Crushing. Haunting. Devastating.
Failure doesn’t just follow me here—it’s set up permanent residence in my mind.
The Acacia Strain’s second album of the day is a complete contrast to its ferocious counterpart. Where the first record was an exercise in speed and brute force, this one is slow, brooding, and suffocatingly heavy in an entirely different way. It’s eerie, haunting, and drenched in pure despair, capturing a level of pain and hopelessness that few records manage to achieve so vividly.
Vincent’s vocals are nothing short of massive on these doom-laden tracks. His voice doesn’t just convey aggression—it radiates suffering, drawing listeners deep into the album’s suffocating atmosphere. Every line feels like a slow descent into madness, and it’s impossible not to be pulled under.
Kevin’s drumming is equally impressive, proving yet again that he’s not just a blast-beat machine but a versatile, dynamic drummer. He brings back his signature off-kilter rhythms, adding an unsettling, unpredictable pulse that makes these already harrowing songs even more unnerving.
Devin and Mike’s guitars are pure sludge and sorrow, each note dragging like a funeral procession. They masterfully craft eerie, creeping melodies that ooze dread, while Griffin’s drawn-out, deep basslines add an even thicker, more oppressive weight to the record.
The production on this album is one of its most striking aspects. It sounds like the band was composing a soundtrack for a cursed, 8-bit horror game from the 1980s—an atmosphere that’s both surreal and terrifying. Every note is drenched in decay, giving the album a dreamlike, almost nightmarish quality.
One thing that might divide listeners is the song lengths. These tracks drag and linger, stretching out each moment of misery—but that’s exactly the point. This isn’t an album meant for casual listening. It’s meant to be endured, to sink into your skin like a deep, festering wound.
For me, this album is a triumph of atmosphere and emotion. It’s not just heavy—it’s emotionally suffocating, and that’s what makes it so effective.
Check the last page for our score.
RATING: 8/10
NOTIABLE TRACKS:
Pillar Of Salt
Basin Of Vows