Djent

Signs of the Swarm – To Rid Myself of Truth Review

By Dear Hollow on August 26, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, 71 comments

“I think deathcore’s lack of respect in metal circles is due to its subservience to trends. Riding waves of what’s considered too brutal or not, the recent MySpace-style revival and the inevitable shadow of Will Ramos-fronted Lorna Shore have collided to emphasize relentless brutality and utter sonic depravity. Signs of the Swarm has been a victim of this more than most, riding the coattails of the trends rather than setting them, and while offering some of the most intense deathcore offerings within the realm of the “low and slow” template, there’s been nothing to convince naysayers to give their albums a listen. Will To Rid Myself of Truth be the tipping point?” Core samples.

Vildhjarta – Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar Review

By Dear Hollow on June 2, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, 55 comments

“You could make the case that Vildhjarta’s third full-length is too late to be relevant. There are few that djent as hard as the Swedes, and their own influence exists in pockets of tone-abusing youngsters and diehard veterans who just keep releasing shit: Tesseract, Periphery, and Animals As Leaders, for example. I’ve always thought that Vildhjarta is the more curious Humanity’s Last Breath, utilizing a similarly crushingly heavy bone-to-dust djent tone, dark atmosphere, and vocal attack.” Djent into shape.

Elyose – Évidence Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on January 10, 2025 in Reviews, Djent, Electronic Metal, Electronica, Gothic Metal, 46 comments

“Being true to yourself as a listener is an essential part of the reviewing process. So, at a very base level, I can say things like “I’m tired of hearing djent riffs” and “pop-infused metal doesn’t do anything for me.” And, at my core, I can know those things are true. Except, every now and again, well-crafted music comes along and bashes upon our truths like a coup de foudre to an unsuspecting heart. Such was the case when I encountered Elyose’s hook-laden, djentrified y2k platter of Déviante. And so too am I again smitten with the chug-ridden, cybergoth stylings of Évidence. The proof, as they say, is in the purple pudding.” Purple is the new sphere.

Dear Hollow’s Mathcore Madness [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Dear Hollow on January 8, 2025 in Reviews, Djent, Mathcore, Punk, 68 comments

Here’s a special look back at all the best mathcore madness you might have missed in 2024. We do this because we care about math.

Ad Infinitum – Abyss Review

By Dear Hollow on October 9, 2024 in Reviews, Djent, Metalcore, Pop Metal, Symphonic Metal, 45 comments

Women vocalists in metal are often labeled “Gothic” or categorized under power metal, even when the music lacks these traits. With its fourth full-length, Abyss, Ad Infinitum defies these labels. Moving away from their earlier symphonic and Gothic influences, the Swiss/German band now blends elements of Deadlock, Spiritbox, and Amaranthe. Their sound combines downtuned riffs with poppy female vocals and vicious growls, fitting the “modern metal” label. With Melissa Bonny leading, it’s hard not to bob your head along.

Million Moons – I May Be Some Time Review

By Iceberg on July 10, 2024 in Reviews, Djent, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 26 comments

““I am just going outside and may be some time.” These were Lawrence Oates’ last words as he walked into the wild of Antarctica, crippled by frostbite and looking, purportedly, to alleviate his doomed team of the burden of his body. I May Be Some Time, the sophomore album from U.K. trio Million Moons tells the tale of the Terra Nova polar expedition through synth-heavy instrumental post-metal. Relating a story in the absence of lyrics brings with it its own difficulties, but the band had success before; 2022’s A Gap In The Clouds dealt with the chronic progression of dementia, and similarly was a wordless endeavor. Can Million Moons capture the indomitable courage and harrowing despair of the fated explorers on I May Be Some Time, or will this album ultimately perish in the icy wilderness?” Ice, ice, maybe.

Hippotraktor – Stasis Review

By GardensTale on June 18, 2024 in Reviews, Djent, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 57 comments

“When your introduction to a band is a live performance, it can sometimes be misleading regarding their studio sound. Such was my experience with Stasis, the second album from Belgian up-and-comers Hippotraktor. Funky name aside, Hippotraktor’s already bowled me over twice in live settings on two different festivals. What stuck the most from those shows, aside from the fact that they were fucking excellent, was the band’s progressive sludge side, an aggressive ripping and tearing shark to Mastodon’s bigger and blunter white whale. What escaped from my impressions, but became abundantly clear as soon as Stasis began, is the hefty helping of djent that stumps and stutters its way into the band’s core sound.” Hungry, hungry Hipptraktors.

Weston Super Maim – See You Tomorrow Baby Review

By Dear Hollow on March 23, 2024 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, Mathcore, 53 comments

“These guys describe their sound as “imagine if Meshuggah couldn’t count,” describing a blend of the mathy pioneers’ wonky rhythms, Will Haven’s dissonance, Crowbar’s riffs, Car Bomb and Humanity’s Last Breath’s boundary-pushing technicality.” Baby’s got back (hair).

Infected Rain – TIME Review

By Iceberg on February 19, 2024 in Reviews, Djent, Electronic Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal, 89 comments

““Progressive” is one of the most flippantly applied adjectives we have for genres today. “Modern” is equally abused, so one can imagine the clanging of alarm bells when the promo sheet for Moldova’s Infected Rain described the band as “modern progressive metal.” But I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, even if said book devolves into the Buttgate of late January. Plus vocalist Elena Cataraga goes by the stage name Lena Scissorhands, which means I get to write the word scissorhands a lot in this review, a tiny joy I never thought I’d experience.” Touchy slicey.

Silent Planet – Superbloom Review

By Dear Hollow on November 23, 2023 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Djent, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, 17 comments

“Silent Planet, named after the first installment of C.S. Lewis’ creatively titled Space trilogy, has always been a lyrical triumph and the pinnacle of metalcore consistency throughout the quartet’s four-album run. With the relentless vulnerability and desperation of The Night God Slept and Everything Was Sound, the regality of When the End Began, and the experimental textures of Iridescent, you could always expect technicality and atmosphere balanced throughout.” Where silence is golden.