Allocer - The First Offering - Album Review - Contemporary Death Metal from Perth, Australia
Today, I delve into the terrorizing world of Allocer, a new promising contemporary death metal band hailing from Perth, Australia. I was introduced to this talented band with their debut EP, The First Offering, which was released on July 2, 2023.
Allocer - Of Madness and Mercury (OFFICAL LYRIC VIDEO)
Tracked by Nick at Sillyboy Sounds Mixed/mastered by Sicktone Studios Video by Tyler Cobillas Produced by Allocer and Luke Green
Another surreal day in the mountains of Switzerland as I write about a new hot prospect in death metal. After spending my entire morning listening to their debut studio EP, "The First Offering," on repeat, I no longer have any doubts about how professional and talented these gentlemen are.
First and foremost, “The First Offering” stands as one of the tightest death metal records I’ve encountered recently, earning my wholehearted respect. Allocer’s individual performances throughout this extreme sonic journey are nothing short of remarkable, serving as an impressive introduction to their musical venture. In this way, Allocer deserves the highest mark from me for their musical vision and execution.
Secondly, the album also stands out for its impeccable production, having similar qualities to the genre-leading bands some of us are familiar with. The Allocer sound unapologetically sets its foundation in the modern world of death metal where they sounded content and confident to me. In this way, their musical concept sounded familiar, reminding me of bands using modern production techniques and incorporating extreme metal influences such as The Black Dahlia Murder and Lorna Shore. Although their production strictly follows these genre-leading examples, their music showcases substantial potential for its precision, attitude, and tightness.
Furthermore, while the musical foundation has direct roots in death metal, the Australian gentlemen went further and explored the extreme territories of deathcore, blackcore, technical death, and black metal. The album incorporates these extreme influences seamlessly and professionally that we don’t get to hear very often from up-and-coming collectives. Although Allocer isn’t afraid to share their admiration for The Black Dahlia Murder, they weren’t only envisioning compositions with the finest pieces of their influencers, but also talented enough to execute it respectfully, altering the entire picture with their musicianship skills. "The First Offering" is a testament to Allocer’s technical prowess, showcasing the finest examples of monstrous guitars and machine-like drumming from the extreme metal world, accompanied by a fascinating vocalist with enough talent to take this band even further. Although he has outstanding performances throughout the album just like the rest of his team, it was thrilling to hearing the number of various extreme metal personalities he could deliver that made a standout.
Allocer, band photo Credit: Unknown
On the flip side, “The First Offering” leaves a lingering question regarding its unique identity in terms of art direction, band image, visuals, musical origins, sound character, and production. While the album’s end result is commendable, it seemed to lack a distinctive edge.
Regrettably, I’ve found the album to sound overly processed. Many people out there create overly edited and processed music mainly because they aren’t skilled enough to take the old-fashioned route. I am personally against slicing everything into millions of pieces in front of a screen, ensuring everything will sound mechanically precise when played. This practice doesn’t require a musician's touch. In this case, Allocer’s immense skill, whether perfected by the producer or obscured by production layers, deserves a more organic presentation.
Additionally, the album’s overall characterization appears somewhat conventional, a notion that struck me during my initial listening experience. Among other choices in their concept, the band also chose to be conservative with their sound and album character. When I imagine myself producing a band with such talent as Allocer, I’d opt for analog soundscapes that reveal authentic craftsmanship. Hearing them perform these songs with an analog sound similar to Death or System of a Down would not only elevate Allocer’s potential but also set them apart from their peers.
Allocer, band photo Credit: Unknown
In conclusion, “The First Offering” firmly establishes Allocer as a force to be reckoned with in the death metal scene. One of the finest contemporary death metal albums I’ve encountered recently, seamlessly blending extreme and technical death, black, and core influences in its concept, showcasing the band’s undeniable talent and potential for greatness. Thanks for reading this further.
released July 2, 2023
Tracked by Nick at Sillyboy Sounds Mixed/mastered by Sicktone Studios Produced by Allocer and Luke Green
Allocer members;Joel Pears Zac Kay Grant Withers Hexen Pannoz Aaron Cicanese
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