DR. ACULA — Nation (review)

DR. ACULA — Nation album cover Album · 2012 · Deathcore Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Time Signature
Careful what you wish for...

Genre: metalcore

Unlike many other old school metalheads, I am not dismissive towards metalcore per se, and so I always give metalcore acts a chance whenever I have the opportunity to listen to them. In most cases, the music does not appeal to me, but every now and then, I come across some really good stuff.

Dr. Acula's Nation has not quite convinces me, I must say, but it has nonetheless made a more positive impression on me than most other metalcore releases I have come across. Many of the songs feature elements that are typical of metalcore, such as a generous amount of breakdowns and quite typical harsh vocals, combining growls, yells and screams. Those elements do not really appeal to me (I am probably too old to understand this new music trend, and the vocals just seem too hysterical and over the top to my ears), but there is one thing that I quite like about this album. As opposed to many other metalcore bands who take their music in a more poppy direction, often including electronica elements and very melodic clean vocals, Dr. Acula's style strikes me as being much more hardcore-oriented.

The more typical metalcore elements are combined with hardcore grooves akin to those mastered by Pro-Pain, and a couple of tracks even have the feel of modern thrash to them. I just stated that I do not care much for the breakdowns on this album, but that is only half the truth. A number of breakdowns on this album are more hardcore informed, and those make me want to rock out. There are a couple of very powerful grooves (and this also applies to the more traditional metalcore-ish grooves in this song) in the title track of this album, which is probably my favorite track.

As I said, I am not entirely convinced by Dr. Acula's Nation, but that all amounts to taste. Their music is solid and rocks hard. It has all the things that characterize metalcore, and so metalcore fans are likely to appreciate it. So, if you love metalcore, check it out. If you don't, check it out anyway, because, if you like groovy metal, chances are that you might like a lot of the groovy riffs in this album even if you are not that much into metalcore.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

It Beckons Us All....... Black Metal
DARKTHRONE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Death Is Not The End Doom Metal
GLOSSA
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Way Forward Sludge Metal
BLACK TUSK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Till Aska Atmospheric Sludge Metal
WALK THROUGH FIRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Oud Zeer Atmospheric Sludge Metal
ONTAARD
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 2 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 3 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed