Bleed From Within - 'Zenith'

BACKGROUND. Twelve years ago, when the iconic opening riff to "Colony' first assaulted my soul, I would have never guessed that by 2025 Bleed From Within would be an international metal juggernaut. The Scots have certainly done their part to reach this point, but this is also one of those rare cases when the wider metalcore crowd paid attention, gave them time, and responded to their blistering series of outstanding modern metal releases that culminate in their monumental latest LP. Mustering all their love for raging riffs, driven drumming and crushing vocals, Bleed From Within deliver the near-faultless Zenith to once and for all cement their place in the top echelon of contemporary heavy music world.

BAND. Formed almost twenty years ago, Bleed From Within are metalcore's unmatched late bloomers, destined for greatness from their very inception, but never quite getting there at least until now. Sure, everything up to, and including Era (2018) was great, but the real ascend to the metalcore throne began with Fracture (2020), and ironically, the iconic single 'The End of All We Know' was the beginning of the Bleed From Within we know today. Completing their brilliant evolution from genre hopefuls to global heavyweights, Zenith is the definitive statement of distinction, instrumental mastery, and genre profficiency, almost unparalleled across the entire scene at this very moment.

ALBUM. The word we are looking for to describe Zenith is monumental. The album exudes sheer power and grandeur from every second of every track, representing Bleed From Within at their absolute best form. Although metalcore through and through, echoing genre legends alongside All That Remains and pre-psychosis AILD, there is a certain groove feeling to it, reminiscent of the glorious days of the NWOAHM movement with the likes of Chimaira, Trivium, Lamb Of God and such, and their signature uncompromisingly heavy and driven metal sound. With Zenith, it is about that same monstrous presence in the now, fuelled by the spirits of the past and setting the standard for the future with disarming determination.

SONGS. A gallopping pit-starter 'Violent Nature' gives Zenith a proper beginning, before to the thunderous 'In Place Of Your Halo' unleashes an iconic bagpipe-driven breakdown to engrave Scotland's colours deep into metalcore's hall of fame. From there, it is the relentless trinity of the huge new title track and the promo singles 'God Complex' and 'A Hope In Hell' to fully immortalise Zenith as an instant genre classic. The album's second half follows suit, perfectly matching the energy and fury of the opening 20 minutes, with individual moments of greatness shining throughout - the chilling operating ornamentation in 'Immortal Desire', the crushing epicness of 'Known by no Name', the benchmark riffage in 'Hand of Sin', the stunning concluding grandeur of 'Edge of Infinity', not a single sign of hesitation or inconsistency.

FUTURE. Much like in 2022, the Scots share their LP premiere with Aussie alt-metal visionaries Thornhill of all bands, a tale of two completely different worlds, but also one that paints the colourful picture of the modern metal scene in all its variety - on its heavier side, Bleed From Within proudly take their rightful place as the unbreakable bastion of the contemporary metalcore genre in its purest, most direct and honest form.

In my review of their previous masterpiece Shrine, I ended up by saying that it "might just be the final step towards global metalcore dominance, with the only question left now being how they could possibly top it with their seventh." Well, here we are left almost speechless with that monumental seventh in question Zenith, raising the bar even higher and intimidating with what might be hiding behind the eight.

Bleed From Within - 'Zenith'

Country: Scotland

Used: 4 April

Label: Nuclear Blast

Tracklisting:

1. Violent Nature

2. In Place Of Your Halo

3. Zenith

4. God Complex

5. A Hope In Hell

6. Dying Sun

7. Immortal Desire (ft. Brann Dailor)