Review of Neaera - Let The Tempest Come

Yeah, let that motherfuckin’ tempest come, boys. We’ll take that motherfucker out! How, you ask? With a lethal dose of Hasselhoff-admirin’ METALCORE! The arsenal will consist of gigantic breakdowns and melodies culled from As I Lay Dying – strengthened and fortified by a cold, razor-like production – with added help coming from fellow countrymen Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban, Maroon, Fear My Thoughts, and Deadsoil. Hell, we’ll enlist Americans The Acacia Strain and declare “Mission Accomplished,” even though the war with the Koran-readin’ tempest will rage on for years to come. So yes, Let the Tempest Come.

By now metalcore is everywhere. You know what it is, and you either listen to it or you don’t. In any case, Metal Blade has been harvesting it by the truckloads for a number of years, and Neara’s debut long-player – The Rising Tide of Oblivion – fared reasonably well despite being on the backburner in relation to the subgenre’s heavy-hitters and NWOAHM siblings. I mean, myriad US dollars go to As I Lay Dying and Unearth, first, before other similar artists are able to bathe in the sweet, sweet runoff. With that being said, Let the Tempest Come is a standard release, yet it’s about as solid as it gets.

Metalcore aficionados know the drill, and Neara carry out their duties with ease. The beginnings of “Plague Heritage” and “God-Forsaken Soil” speak of a group that is comfortable and confident enough to tackle -core songwriting from a slightly different angle, rather than following the usual patterns. However, the limitations of both the band and the subgenre are felt when these Germans enter into a breakdown, a technique that is a vortex in and of itself. What else can a metalcore band do, y’know? In essence, even though they excel at the requisites, they’re still a second-tier outfit.

But again, those swayed by the sounds of metalcore will have a tough time resisting the melody of “Desecrators,” the drumming in “The Crimson Void,” and about 100 other moments that illustrate just how refined Neara can be. Nevertheless, Let the Tempest Come is far from essential, though it’s a sturdy alternative for someone who owns everything by metalcore’s heavyweights. Mission accomplished, I suppose.

Release Details

Neaera

Let The Tempest Come

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