Strap in your seatbelts and get ready for the most unique and intense metal album of 2015. Sweden’s Totem Skin have returned for a ferocious sophomore LP that will take you across seven tracks of dense soundscapes painted by pure bloodthirsty savagery.
In the early 90’s, Boston legends Converge took the music scene by storm with their unique palette of hardcore punk borrowing from elements of thrash, sludge, black, and many other flavors of metal. Converge’s frontman Jacob Bannon has since formed Deathwish Inc. recruiting young bands such as Code Orange or Cult Leader that also approach writing with a hardcore punk foundation and toy with a vast array of metallic influences. Totem Skin would fit comfortably on the Deathwish roster, taking the likes of hardcore punk, sludge metal, melodic death metal, and even highlight moments of ambient black metal.
The Swedish quintet’s writing balances the fast-paced, crushing chaos with ambient breaks. Such contrast calls for skilled production, and Weltschemerz’ is top notch. The sludge and chaos-laced riffs sound dirty and explosive while the ambient moments are captured as pristinely as they should.
Weltschemerz is a record that explores the feeling of agony stemming from loneliness and involuntary solitude. We are, waste; Beaten, broken, forgotten. Chained to our conscience; left in isolation. Beaten, Broken, forgotten. The reoccurring theme of contrast occurs within the vocals as well going back and forth between high pitched demonic shrieks and emotionally-charged hardcore shouts.
If you are a fan of the Deathwish roster or love ambient black metal acts such as Wolves at the Throne Room or Deafheaven, then Totem Skin is a band you must absolutely listen to. It’s been a long while since I have witnessed this much potential at the genesis stage of a metal band’s career.