Whitechapel, “Kin” Review
When brutal deathcore goes soft and pop structure is no longer forbidden to explore in heavier music
A standard deathcore outfit from the mid aughts alongside Suicide Silence and Job for a Cowboy has now begun opening songs with acoustic guitar sections. I didn’t appreciate their early material but this paradigm shift is a welcome change, as clearly they’ve matured into a more serious band.
No, this is no longer deathcore, not in the same sense as the deathcore we became accustomed to from the 2000s. They’re closer to Fiction era Dark Tranquillity than This is Exile Whitechapel.
This album is defined by slow breaks, personal lyrics, clean vocals, melodic solos.
I Will Find You — Coherent transitioning from phrase to phrase. If you’re just being reintroduced back into the genre after a listening hiatus you’ll be caught off guard as to what deathcore bands are doing. Great harsh growls, clarity in discerning lyrics. Some progressive elements. Maybe Opeth or Riverside influence in this album.
