Metal can be one of the purest forms of fun going. For all of the devastating permutations of heavy music that are out there, the genre can be a blast, packing energy and momentum that makes you smile, feel exhilarated and maybe, just maybe, get you to pull the ‘invisible oranges’ hand gesture.
Employed To Serve are dyed-in-the-denim metalheads. Their live shows are like attending a metal church. Prior to their arrival on stage you’ll hear songs by Dio, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, before the London band enter decked out in vests, leather trousers and studded belts to a sea of hands throwing up the horns.
Make no mistake, however, the five-piece are no retro act. Their brand of metalcore is firmly of the here and now, boasting a pummeling digital production style and utilising seven-string guitars, savage roars, relentless breakdowns and layers of textural nuance.
Their fifth full-length ‘Fallen Star’ sees them expand their palette without sacrificing an ounce of heaviness. The dual vocal interplay of screamer-in-chief Justine Jones and guitarist Sammy Urwin now encompasses more soaring clean vocals amid the carnage, evidenced by the spacious title track, which recalls late period Rolo Tomassi.
Crucially, though, these 11 tracks fly so high simply because they’re so easy to grasp. Contemporary tech-metal sometimes feels like it’s in an arms race to create a more OTT and intense version of itself. But there are countless moments on ‘Fallen Star’, such as the monster breakdown that ends They Kingdom Come and Atonement’s anthemic chorus, that are expertly, brutally and delightfully lucid.
If you’re a UK metalhead you probably won’t need telling, but Employed To Serve and their latest album are simply an essential listen if you’re even casually interested in things of a heavy persuasion.
Employed To Serve Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
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