Deep Within - 2024 - Deep Within

(31:08; M&O Music)

Track list:
1. Fractured 2:56
2. On Coming Storm 3:31
3. Ground 4:15
4. Devils Den 4:26
5. The Machine 4:12
6. Valhalla 4:41
7. Strong Arm 3:15
8. Deep Within 3:52

Line-up:
Matt Wiggins - vocals
Jason Trevino - bass
Joe Hawkins - guitars
Cody Hellion - drums


US band Deep Within have been active in one form or another for at least a decade from what I can see, but they have taken their good time to develop their craft prior to hitting the recording studio. Following an initial single released a few years back, the band is now out with their debut album "Deep Within", which was released by French label M&O Music.

In terms of metal traditions, this is a band that I by and large would place inside of an alternative moniker. Not because I find this album to be all that similar to alternative metal bands as such, but rather because the more inclusive spirit of the songs in sum makes this an album with a bit of an alternative scope.

Those fond of groove oriented patterns applied to thrash metal inspired riffs will find a lot to enjoy throughout here, especially if you also find a little bit of an industrial or grunge inspired undercurrent to be interesting inside such a context. A little bit of a flirt is also ongoing with traditional heavy metal, doom metal and power metal throughout, with the latter being perhaps the most dominant in general and for the rhythm department in particular. With a few atmospheric laden interludes and expansions being a part of the package, cue the violin and female backing vocals on 'Valhalla', and we also get a little bit of a detour into a nu-metal flavored landscape along the way, and one with a subtly funky undercurrent that gave me associations to the early Mike Patton era of Faith No More at that. That the band alternate between light toned, well controlled and melodic lead vocals and a more dark, gruff and subtly distorted aggressive lead vocal style probably merits a mention here too.

Given that this is an album that clocks in at just a little bit over 31 minutes, this is a half hour experience that does come with a fair degree of variety. While some of the songs are pinned down into creations with a bit more of a uniform style of expression, we also get quite a few songs here that are a bit more on the expressive side of matters, which may be for better or worse depending on the ears and the mind of the individual. But one fact can be stated for sure: This isn't at all a predictable experience.

In my view this is an album that merits a check by those fond of a more creative and expressive variety of contemporary metal, one that may not adhere to the alternative metal tradition in terms of form and style conventions but one that in my view does have a bit of an alternative approach to the manner in which a band may explore the metal universe. All in all this is also a solid album in my book, even if this one may be a bit more for the connoisseurs than for the mainstream metal crowd.

Olav M. Björnsen, February 2024

Links:
https://deepwithinband.com/
https://www.m-o-music.com/