J-Man If the recent explosion of groovy and thrashy metalcore acts has appealed to you even slightly, Australia's Lynchmada may be a band well-worth your time. Formed in 2002, the five-piece has since released two full-length albums, with 2011's To The Earth being the band's first for Truth Inc. Records. Borrowing elements from metalcore, thrash metal, death metal, and sludge metal, To The Earth is a very modern sounding observation indeed, but also one that should have a wide appeal within the metal community - Lynchmada strikes a fine balance between melody and brutality, and their firm grasp on memorable songwriting sets them apart from the legions of generic deathcore acts. While To The Earth may not entirely reinvent the genre, Lynchmada offers an approach to metalcore that sounds both fresh and inspired.

This album brings names like Meshuggah, Killswitch Engage, and Suicide Silence to mind with its pummeling riffs, complex rhythms, and occasional touches of melody, and while I may not be a huge fan of all the aforementioned acts, Lynchmada creates a style of thrashy deathcore that I really like. The main focus of this album may be to create crushingly heavy riffs (this is an album that needs to be played loud!), but unlike a few of their other contemporaries, Lynchmada does not forget to incorporate diversity and melody into their music. Songs like "Blackout", which contains a section that could've been straight out of a post-rock album, help make those dense breakdowns feel all the more powerful. To The Earth does occasionally slip into deathcore cliches, but I was generally blown away by the masterful sense of composition exhibited on this effort. Once you factor in the stunning musicianship and flawless production, it's clear that we're dealing with a very professional product.

To The Earth may not be a revelation for the metalcore genre as a whole, but if you call yourself a fan of the style, Lynchmada offers enough originality and class to make this worth a purchase. The band offers a sense of warmth and personality that I seldom find in today's crowded and sterile deathcore scene, and that alone makes Lynchmada an act worth keeping your eyes on.