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Another monthly slowly gone and while we inch ever closer to 2022's final chapter, recent records seem to go bolder and louder, with the long-awaited latest offering by Aviana becoming another milestone destined to shake the end-year charts across the world. Breaking the established conventions of traditional album cycles, the Swedish metalcore sensation return to prime form in their third offering Corporation. A collection of raging standalone singles that sound even more powerful and passionate when put together, the record opens a new chapter with a balanced sample of modern metal greatness.
Corporation is the result of few years of ups and downs, the blood, sweat and tears ordeal of Joel Holmqvist, grinding his way forward solo, towards seeing his vision become reality against all odds. Band almost falling apart, expectations, uncertainty, delays, only to come stronger at the end and although no longer a one man show, this album clearly remains a dissection of Joel's mind. The fear, the pain, the love, the hearthbreak, the anxiety, an emotional portfolio that gradually unfolded in spectacular fashion following initial statements in 'Retaliation' and 'Oblivion', and teased in full scope in the soul-crushing 'Rage'.
Hardly a conventional album, Corporation saw 8 of its 11 tracks already out before the premiere with all but its latest offering 'Illuminate' and its fitting intro and outro left for the grand reveal. Although losing the element of surprise, taken as a whole this collection of singles easily forms one of the finest modern metal albums in years. The debate over the slow decay of traditional album release is very much still going on, and while Corporation seemingly stands for its inevitable dissolution in the modern age, the final result makes for a compelling case with its consistency, depth, arrangement and stunning visual backing.
The record covers a full chapter of Joel's life, with its twists and turns, but also marks a new era for Aviana. Back in late 2020, Many saw the band's disbandment as a matter of when that if, but he fought for this contemporary masterpiece like the generational talent which he clearly is. Now backed with the 3 (4?) misterious members: Death (guitar), Fear (guitar) and Dark (drums), one could only wonder what is coming next and how would this new, regrouped and reinvigorated Aviana handle the near impossible task of topling this.
Corporation simply shines on all fronts and if we are to look for the future of the European heavy music, we can be certain Aviana has a central role to play. The intensity and passion in which these eleven tracks unfold is exemplary, putting expected metalcore tropes in their contemporary perspective, and spinning them into a masterclass of blending genre influences, production tricks, raging instrumentation, vocal layering and stunning visuals.
Forget everything you might have heard or know about Aviana until now, for Corporation is not only their symbollic new beginning, but their logical sonic evolution that "exceeds expectations and takes the band further down the path for greatness". Its solid metalcore foundation aside, the singles reveal and expansive world of bouncy nu metal grooves, djenty riffs, pulsating electronics, subtle pop structures, deathcore extremes and everything in between. In other word, it flawlessly delivers a dissection of the multifaceted profile of modern metal, seen under the prism of that iconic, sombre Scandinavian sensibility.
European metal bastion Arising Empire appear to be firmly set on propelling the contemporary Swedish heavy music into the new age, championing Aviana, Imminence and Eyes Wide Open as different aspects of the same killer new generation destined to leave their mark in the local and international scene. Corporation is the latest nuke in their seemingly endless arsenal, and one that might just cause the biggest shockwaves of them all, for its explosive instrumentation is uncontainable from start to finish.
We have had two years to spin the singles one by one on repeat, but as a whole Corporation does not present a single moment of weakness or hesitation. The album peaks with each track, consistently outdoing the previous track in an unstoppable chain of climaxes, the filthy breakdown in 'Rage', the emotive build in 'Anomaly', the beautiful verses of 'Transcendent', the breakbeats transition in 'Illuminate', the industrial vibes in 'Obsession', the passionate delivery in 'Paradox'. Add in the alluring intro 'Curriculum' and atmospheric finale in 'Negligence', and we have an instant modern metal classic for the future.
It is almost unfair that 2022 has given Aviana so much competition for the top spot, and if it wasn't for few undeniable masterpieces already out, Corporation would easily be my album of the year. Joel and his crew deserve all the praise and respect in the world right now, and I can only hope this records pays for the insane amount of work and determination that clearly went in producing it. Excited to see where Aviana go next, and eagerly anticipating seeing Corporation melt my face live in its full mechanical brilliance.
Aviana - Corporation
Country: Sweden
Released: 30 September 2022
Label: Arising Empire
Tracklisting:
01. 'Curriculum'
02. 'Obsession'
03. 'Rage'
04. 'Paradox' (ft. Marcus Vik)
05. 'Oblivion'
06. 'Retaliation'
07. 'Anomaly'
08. 'Transcendent'
09. 'Illuminate'
10. 'Overcome'
11. 'Negligence'
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