AN NCS PREMIERE: SCALAFREA — “PERCEPTIONS OF TIME”

 

(Austin Weber introduces our premiere of a new song by Scalafrea.)

Today we have an incredible new song to share with the fine readers here at NCS. The track in question, “Perceptions Of Time”, comes from a new EP, Opposites In Polarity, by Colorado-based technical death metal trio Scalafrea. I’ve been following this band for several years after stumbling onto them through Metal-Archives. While they might not be the household name they should be, these guys have previously released an EP and a full-length that are head and shoulders above most of their peers in their style of metal.

The reasons they are so good bring to mind parallels to what Cephalic Carnage have done so well: They have a hodge-podge style that draws from all over the musical map and they couple that style with a penchant for writing songs, as Cephalic Carnage used to do, that are rather non-linear and that generally avoid repeating parts.

 

 

What’s interesting to note about the evolution reflected in this new material is that it sees the band move more solidly within the technical death metal paradigm, much as Cephalic Carnage did, yet Scalafrea have retained the dense, spastic mode of songwriting that sets them apart. Oh, and Lenzig Leal, vocalist for Cephalic Carnage has some guest vocal spots on this new EP, too!

Well, I think that’s enough background information on the band, let’s talk about “Perceptions Of Time”. I’ve helped with a lot of song premieres here at NCS, but none has been as difficult as this one — mainly because the band allowed me to pick which of the EP’s five songs we would premiere. Normally the need to make a choice wouldn’t be an issue, but it certainly was in this case because the music on Opposites In Polarity is so fucking good that it was damn near impossible for me to choose just one!

The track I chose is a universe unto itself, teeming with endless energy and heart, and delivered with a savagery capable of reducing listeners to mere rubble. The type of death metal displayed here is not only lightning-quick and bowel-rupturing, it’s also highly progressive, and its back-and-forth duality is structured in an interesting and choppy manner. There are so many killer riffs that it becomes hard to keep track of them, and the lead-guitar playing is simply stunning, while the slippery snake-like bass playing is warm and loud in the mix and adds a potent punch to the track.

Meanwhile the drumming is stupendous, and the production makes it sound very natural. With so much instrumental variety present, the mix between tortured, piercing screams and absurdly low monster growls is nicely done and as full of energy as the instrumental performances.

Lyrically, the track expounds upon the gravitational time-dilation effect, a topic that’s highly interesting and mind-bending. Coincidentally, fellow Colorado metal band Allegaeon also wrote a song about this topic on their last record.

Keep on eye on Scalafrea. You’d be foolish to miss out on what I can promise you (having heard all of the EP) is one of the most unique and memorable technical death metal efforts that will come out this year. Opposites In Polarity will be released on April 15th.

https://www.facebook.com/Scalafrea