Experimental deathcore act Arsonists Get All The Girls have whipped up quite the aural beatdown in their latest release, Portals. These eleven tracks find the band borrowing from all shapes and forms of heavy music for a pulsating record that doesn't let up too often - and that's a good thing. While I'd never consider deathcore to be my kind of thing, there are some undeniably awesome tracks found throughout this release with just the right amount of balls-out heaviness combined with well-placed programming and smooth synth leads for contrast.

"The 42nd Ego" employs some really cool synth leads amidst some surprisingly cohesive melodies considering the breakdown-heavy genre. Offering up cohesion and creepiness with plenty of minor and diminished riffage, the track is an early standout that busts into a well-crafted breakdown near the end. After the fairly straightforward track, the band follows up with some cool sweeping guitars in "My Cup's Half Empty" that dance over thundering rhythmic gunshots courtesy of the bass guitar/bass drum brotherhood. The intro to "Saturnine" will probably induce some long-haired windmill headbanging with easy, and "Skiff For Suits" features some cool throwback metal riffs that should have the southern studs smiling.

The band bounces all over the place drudging breakdowns to instrumental frenzies that really showcase the individual artists' chops ("I Lost My Loss Of Ruin") and do it all quite well. While Portals was my first experience with Arsonists Get All The Girls, it probably won't be my last.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Intro
02. The 42nd Ego
03. My Cup's Half Empty
04. Skiff For Suits
05. In The Empyrians
06. Saturnine
07. Violence In Fluid: Triceratops
08. Portals
09. I Lost My Loss Of Ruin
10. To Playact In Static
11. Tea Time Tibbons

Run Time: 52:52