Deathcore is a genre that often holds a lot of nostalgia for metalheads of a certain age. While the genre has experienced a remarkable resurgence as of late, it's those seminal early-2000s releases that still define it for many people. On The Axe Forgets, the Tree Remembers, Carcosa manage to straddle the line between modernity and nostalgia to create something that should appeal to both newcomers to the genre and even the most jaded of listeners.The album starts strong: early track "Acacia Crescent" is an easy standout with its heavy but clear vocals, groovily rhythmic breakdown and melodic guitar passages. It sounds much closer to Controller-era Misery Signals than Lorna Shore, and that influence remains present for much of the record's first half. "Corey Place" continues the strong lead section, offering up some of the most memorable vocals on the whole album as well as a fantastic breakdown. The album's title track is also notable both for its crushing riffs and its remarkably catchy, clean chorus; it's the kind of hook you'll find yourself singing to yourself days or weeks later, regardless of where you stand on the debate over whether clean vocals have a place in deathcore.Unfortunately, The Axe Forgets, the Tree Remembers also sees Carcosa fall prey to the modern metal trope of inserting a ballad where it doesn't belong. "Hindsight" isn't even the most egregious example, but when paired with its pseudo-intro in "Forethought," it significantly disrupts the pacing, and feels as if it belongs on an entirely different album. After this diversion, things do get back on track, and the aptly-titled closer "Curtains" ends things on a high note with its astonishingly heavy final breakdown.The Axe Forgets, the Tree Remembers does a lot of things right: the vocals are powerful yet decipherable, the guitar work is melodic one moment and brutal the next, and the breakdowns will cause even the weariest of old hardcore kids to crack a smile — that's how fun it is to listen to. While it's not the kind of record that breaks any boundaries or manages to avoid some of the more divisive trends of the genre, Carcosa's latest is a solid release that deathcore fans of all ages will undoubtedly find something enjoyable in.
Wavelength
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