I See Stars; New Demons

Mark Wincott

I See Stars are back with their fourth addition to their growing repertoire of electronic hardcore music (EHM). ‘New Demons’ is the name of their latest album and what you may call Dance hall metal, a mix of synth, heavy guitar riffs and drumming which reminds me of former Fear Factory drum king Ramon Herrera.

Such a mixture of clean vocals by Devin Oliver and the unclean vocal style of Zach Johnson is a pleasure to hear. The thunderous and catchy choruses; the hardcore riffs, this sound is in your face, it’s pure head-banging music. ‘New Demons’ is the follow-up to 2011 ‘Digital Renegade’ so fans have had to wait nearly two years to get more music from these guys and you know what, this is fast and furious, this is non-stop hardcore tunes from the Detroit band.

During the course of the album I felt some influences from old school bands such as Fear Factory, I’m shocked I said old school as I was listening to FF when they first came out. Vocally, Zach reminds me at times of the power of a Corey Taylor Slipknot/Stone Sour vibe. Alongside the electronic instruments, add this to a dance floor and you will then get one full of sweat drenched mosh pit artists.

Opening track Initialization Sequence at 54 seconds starts a constant in your face bass mixed with electronic feel that sets the precedence of the record. This is non-stop electronic hardcore metal. Jeff Valentine, bass, alongside the guitar prowess of Jim Gergerson and Brent Allen intertwines this sound together where it smashes the speakers.

Murder Mitten, a definite sound on the album which makes I See Stars the band to follow and continue following in this Electronic death core genre. The powerful electronic sound moulded with the crunching guitar riffs is a beautiful and dark sound at the same time. Zach with an amazing tone to the harmonies of Devin, the heavy guitar sound that pushes the boundaries of speed, again as I have mentioned the drumming of Andrew Oliver is so reminiscent of Ramon Herrera.

Head-banging on the dance floor mixed with a dub step feel, to me never sounded so good. Boris the Animalanother tune from this stacked album, a breath is needed to be taken; this doesn’t give you a break. Hard and light vocals with a sound that comes at you like a lightning bolt and this lightning bolt is out to get on the 25^th November.