On Paths of Torment are a new band from Connecticut who play a mix of death metal and metalcore styles on their debut EP The Arsonist Plague. This seven song release shows plenty of promise, as the band seems very capable at putting together heavy tracks dripping with melody, aggression, and technical arrangements. I like the many intricate riffs and fills on "Wreath of the Coiled", as well as the varied death, black, and metalcore styled vocal attack, and the pounding riffs of "The Nihilist in the Rye", a song that also has a hint of the Swedish Gothenburg style of melodic death metal.
Overall, I think this band of youngsters has a pretty bright future ahead of them if they continue along this path in the future. Labels like Metal Blade and Roadrunner will no doubt be interested once they grab a listen to The Arsonist Plague. With better production and an increased attention to more in-depth song writing, this band should go far, as they already have the sound and the chops. Good luck guys!
Track Listing
- The Patron Pattern
- Arm the Blue Shift
- Wreath of the Coiled
- The Nihilist in the Rye
- There's Something Rotten in the States of Condition
- The Age of Oak
- Lie Will Follow