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ALBUM REVIEW: "Dear Desolation" by Thy Art Is Murder

   Thy Art's new album Dear Desolation tips the balance of their signature deathcore sound towards more traditional death metal, giving us a more melancholy, desperate kind of fury. Breakdowns and chuggy-chugs are still very much present, but the classic death metal sound was bliss to my ears, not having expected that kind of shift in sound. CJ's vocals are typically brutal and powerful - no surprises here - but the real heroes of this record are Andy Marsh and Sean Delander, whose songwriting and riffs are as sharp as they have ever been, pulling out the murkiest elements of death metal and incorporating them into their deathcore sound. There isn't much in the way of variety, but hey it's a death metal record, and one of the better one's to come out in the last few years.

   Favourite Songs: Dear Desolation, Slaves Beyond Death, and The Skin of the Serpent

   Least Favourite Song: Fire In The Sky

   Rating: 8/10

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