Brand of Sacrifice - 'Between Death and Dreams' - EP Review

"I don't usually listen to deathcore, but..." has become and increasingly popular phrase in recent years, and although this is largely due to the rapid rise of Lorna Shore, one cannot ignore their contemporaries in Brand of Sacrifice whose frenzied and industrialised take on the genre has expanded its newly-found appeal even further. Like many others, I have been very critical about the staleness and predictability of the scene for years, and this so-called deathcore revival of the post 2020s has been a welcome sight that has delivered some outstanding gems, with 'Between Death and Dreams' the latest EP to raise the bar.

Not to lump and compary random bands that have nothing but timing in common, but Toronto-based Brand of Sacrifice are easily amongst the undisputed flagmen of this wave of fresh and exciting deathcore, taking the modern heavy world by storm. They are also the ones consistently making some of the biggest noise ever since their fairly recent debut in 2018, and are steadily on course to the very top with their latest offering certain to leave a lasting mark on 2023. Take the EP apart and you still have 4 spine-chilling and bone-crushing standalone singles, dropped on us without mercy since 'Exodus' started it all.

To give you some context, Lifeblood (2021) was a brilliant album that delivered featuring with Frankie Palmeri (Emmure), Ben Duerr (Shadow of Intent), Eric Vanlerberghe (I Prevail), Jamie Graham (Viscera), Tylor Shelton (Traitors). After that, we had few great collabs with Spencer Chemberlain (Underoath), Ryo Kinoshita (Crystal Lake), and Will Ramos himself, as well as taking We Came As Romans' 'Darkbloom' to the next level. Now add in teaming up with Orie McGuiness (who has done phenomenal work for Bad Omens, Kingdom of Giants, Spiritbox, Wage War, just to name a few) for the video for 'Dynasty', and you get the idea.

Long story short, Brand of Sacrifice are a name you simply cannot ignore in 2023, and have done some pretty impressive work in positioning themselves at the center of the contemporary metal world with all the right connections and audiences, and all that entirely by themselves without a major label behind them. Their latest EP comes with all the hype and expectations it deserves and the boys more than delivered in all of its short but glorious 17 minutes of raw, modern, electronic-induced deathcore madness. It kicks off with the ferocious 'Blinded', takes your breath away with the restless 'Exodus' and 'Dynasty' and strikes the final blow with the haunting title track 'Between Death and Dreams'.

The opening track 'Blinded' might sound like the odd one out, but is a fitting introduction to the chaotic world of Brand of Sacrifice, and a sleek transition between the themes of Lifeblood and the conceptual dystopian reality of the rest. Deathcore fans tend to put spotlight on the vocals and Kyle Anderson truly is the Demon King, who tends to improve with each consecutive release, reaching new hights and branching into exciting new vocal styles as Between Death and Dreams unfolds. He is backed by the exemplary cohesion between Michael Valeri (lead guitar), Liam Beeson (rhythm guitar), Dallas Bricker (bass), and Mike Caputo (drums), creating some of the most exciting extreme music in recent years.

Much like other successful deathcore acts, Brand of Sacrifice are not just about the music but also about the overall experience. The Canadians have already built and exciting brand (no pun intended) with a notable accompanying sound, and this is only going to get better, bolder and more popular. The band is not afraid to take risks, blend influences, mix vocal styles and upset conservative fans, and in my eyes this is the ultimate recipe for any significant contemporary metal project. Listen to Between Death and Dreams and pay attention to what Brand of Sacrifice are doing!

Brand of Sacrifice - Between Death and Dreams

Country: Canada

Released: 21 April 2023

Label: Self-release (under license to Blood Blast)

Tracklisting:

1. 'Blinded'

2. 'Exodus'

3. 'Dynasty'

4. 'Between Death and Dreams'