It’s great to hang out under the seas, and it’s obviously even better to make music. Into The Deep emerged in 2018 from the band Pivot, which was founded at the end of the 90s, when the riffs had become heavier and the sound had become harder. Since then, they have pursued aquatic extremes, largely centered around death metal, but primarily on the melodic-progressive side with rock and alternative elements. „Blackfin“ is the latest prank from the trio from Raleigh, North Carolina.

With just six songs and 25 minutes, there isn’t much done in terms of quantity, but the music can easily cover up this supposed shortcoming. The opening title song is quite impressive and delves into complex worlds of extremes, with something like longing involved on a melodic level – buried deep in the arrangement, melancholy and at the same time full of passion. The air seems tense to the breaking point, and at the same time the vocals are spewing out wonderfully wildly. Desperate anger meets groove-like structures, and towards the end the thing even turns completely around once more.

At the other end of the album there is another treat lurking with “Hammerhead”, which chases oppressive death thrash riffing through alternative realms and is even reminiscent of the early noughties, while at the same time Gojira peeks around the corner. This shouldn’t actually work that well. “Spaceshark”, on the other hand, leads you on the wrong track with its idyllic intro and then swings the modern steam hammer – bold, playful and strange at the same time. On the other hand, the long “Seaweed” demonstrates his penchant for spacey prog, which even has a touch of tool in the first section, only to slowly take on a life of its own.

What Into The Deep is doing here is addictive. Although the individual components tend to come across as extremely familiar, the result has a fresh note. “Blackfin” is playful and brutal at the same time, works in expansive prog passages as well as in melodic death stubbornness and also likes the grooving board. Paired with an unusual and exciting aquatic concept, the US trio scores an exciting direct hit and at the same time a more than successful start to this musical year.

Rating: 8/10

Available from: January 3rd, 2024
Available via: Self-distributed

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Tags: alternative metal, blackfin, into the deep, melodic death metal, progressive death metal, review

Category: Magazin, Reviews