Runescarred – The Distant Infinite
Self-Released
Release Date: 21/2/2020
Running Time: 44:34
Reviewed by Tammy Lomax
9/10
Runescarred, from Austin, Texas, originally surfaced back in 2017 and, after one EP, they are now presenting us with their, recently released, head crushing debut album “The Distant Infinite”
‘Hexit’ is the ideal track to open the album. It draws you in when it begins with majestic twangs pulling you closer to the edge of your seat… then hard thrash kicks you straight in the face, totally unexpectedly! Ven Scott’s vein exploding vocals are delivered perfectly, screaming at you. You are up off your seat like a meerkat and your head bounces to the rhythm of the double kick drums. The skills on the fretboards by guitarists Tim Driscoll and Skunk Manhattan are right up my street, Gimme more…!
Bass opens ‘Inviting Rivers’ and I am all over Runescarred now! That creamy bass melts me straight away, if you know me, then you know. I love my bass! Familiar riffs, fast paced, thrash metal…and who doesn’t love a bit of thrash? Both guitarists compliment each other immensely. These guys work so well together and have a good sound. Next track ‘Minor Progressions’ hits me by complete surprise. Vocals are more power metal for sure, yet the heaviness remains. Runescarred are diverse and progressive in their ranges and they pull it off superbly. ‘Swallow Your Tail’ starts with some doom feels. A real good slow deep riff to get you into the flow of the track. I feel myself swaying and headbanging to the beat. The heaviness is just pure butter on toast, then the beautiful chorus hits my power spots. ‘Legionem Eclipsem’ is another fab track and is weighty. It has to be my least favourite just because it feels repetitive, more so than the other tracks on the album, but Runescarred still pull it off.
‘Twisting Flesh’ makes me feel I ought to applaud these fellas. At first, I felt the high notes in the vocals were slightly stretched and misplaced but then it all made sense when the riff came in and it worked. At the end of the repeated riff there is a slight switch in tempo between the bass and drums, this is also executed well. ‘This Distant Infinite’ is not what you expect, however, having listened to Runescarred now, the only advice I could give is expect the unexpected. It is short and sweet. The singular pulls from the strings and the fader follows a piano and it gives a Pink Floyd/Dave Gilmour kind of vibe. It’s a good breather. It flows straight in to ‘Sorrow Is’, more of a ballad, it reminds me of Tenacious D slightly. You feel the power and it’s pretty unreal to be honest. This is exactly what music is for me personally, when you can feel the emotions behind the music. Then ‘Poison Oasis’ begins and slams into a tech metal feel. You assume the album has become more chilled but then they pull this out the bag. Personally, I cannot say it enough, Runescarred are not just progressive, thrash or power etc, they are all of these and more, being strong in most genres. Although there are a couple of occasions where the vocals feel a little strained in the high register, it does not affect their sound, if anything it makes me fall in love with them more. Final track ‘Mammoth’ is awesome. They launch themselves back to how the album started, with their insane, and heavy, skills at the forefront! Although I felt the album was a little long in places, I feel they got their message across and they keep you on your toes.
All ten tracks on “The Distant Infinite” are executed and delivered very well. You cannot fault Runescarred and their hard work really shines through here. All in all, this is a great release, it has everything you need. It is fast in places, slower in others but also very melodic. It is full of passion and you can hear and feel the dedication and emotion in the lyrics. There are death metal roars and ripping power vocals, fast paced riffs, and slow guitar solos. Honestly, what more do you want? Runescarred are diverse but they have got the formulas down. Watch out for these guys. I totally recommend them.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Hexit
02. Inviting Rivers
03. Minor Progressions
04. Swallow Your Tail
05. Legionem Eclipsem
06. Twisting Flesh
07. This Distant Infinate
08. Sorrow Is
09. Poison Oasis
10.Mammoth
LINE-UP:
Ven Scott – Vocals
Tim Driscoll – Lead Guitar
Payton Holekamp – Drums
Josh Robins – Bass guitar
Skunk Manhattan – Lead Guitar
LINKS:
www.runescarred.com
www.facebook.com/runescarred
www.twitter.com/runescarredband
www.instagram.com/runescarred
www.youtube.com/channel/UCT7I_s6Xriv-V-wH2QbBn3Q
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Tammy Lomax and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.