#uniqueleaderrecords — Public Fediverse posts

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Based on naming traditions and a tendency to dub groups after horrific activities, such as Cattle Decapitation or Immolation, Australian Deathcore band A Night In Texas must believe there is nothing more terrifying than spending an evening in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the horror of the unknown hits hard for a group eight thousand miles away from their namesake, but A Night In Texas is no stranger to the ubiquitous elements of modern deathcore that defy the confines of any nation or state. With The Darkest Side of Humanity, the band’s latest comes at the start of their second decade, preceded by four records that exemplified solid, if a little uninspired, deathcore and a nominally influential debut. Is their latest the one to turn heads from Texas to Brisbane, or will it cowtow to deathcore trends known the world over?

Featuring a new vocalist after the departure of their longest-running lead, Sam Cameron quickly shows that he is no slouch. If The Darkest Side of Humanity has any weakness, it isn’t for lack of Cameron’s breadth and brutality. Properly Gollum-worthy highs pierce ears alongside gut-rumbling lows as he shows as much or more potency than those that came before. Founding member and lead guitarist Cory Judd is clearly the sonic soul of the band, as The Darkest Side of Humanity is as oppressively crushing as previous records. Amongst the cacophony (more on this later), Tommy Williams feels properly black metal at times, weaving tantalizingly sullen melodies just beneath the boiling surface of Judd’s bouncing battering. Freshman drummer Chris Whitbread delivers inhuman drumming that showcases technicality rarely seen in the more beatdown-driven core, lending the band a sound that at times straddles deathcore and tech-death.

The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out from much of modern deathcore thanks to A Night In Texas’ focus on speed and tech-death trappings. Bolstering their instrumental prowess are surprisingly inspired lyrics and a genuine devotion to rhythmic timing, reminding one of Unhallowed Deliverance. Each track features a standout moment and drives to a proper crescendo, but the devotion to an ecstatic ending becomes formulaic by the album’s end. The Darkest Side of Humanity could lose a track, and it would be better for it. When the record pops off, it does so with aplomb, and the back half is particularly vicious and rousing. The mid-record epic “When the Sun Burns Out” is driven by atmospheric plucking and tasteful, yet sparse clean singing. “The Chronicles of Nihilism” is an immediate standout with its bounce-worthy lead riff and adherence to speed.

While tech-death is clearly an inspiration for A Night In Texas, The Darkest Side of Humanity is another victim of the utter flattening of the genre due to the explosion in popularity of Lorna Shore. What was once tech-deathcore now must include hamfisted symphonic elements and triple-tap bursting breakdowns. While those tech influences remain a part of Judd’s DNA, the paint-by-numbers orchestration does nothing to enhance any individual song. Ironically, the back half of the album either abandons or minimizes backing tracks to great effect, becoming far more epic through sheer instrumentation and scale. The repetitive machine-gun riffage runs rampant, and while it is used more tastefully than most, I can’t help but feel A Night In Texas has the chops to do so much more and display as much alongside the derivative chords. For every predictable breakdown or riff, there is a flurry of inspired technicality or hooky earworms.

The Darkest Side of Humanity is inoffensive for deathcore, and even shows moments of true grandiosity. The latter half is great at times; the title track and finale are a high note to go out on, but cutting a track and stripping the album of most of its orchestration would do wonders for it. For a record that is so fast, heavy, and technical, with over-the-top vocals and orchestration, it sounds consistently cacophonous. This record is dense, but there is gold in them hills for those who take the time to sift. If A Night In Texas leans into the tech, focuses on hooks, and avoids chasing trends, their next record could reach the heights I know they are capable of. For now, The Darkest Side of Humanity stands out as a solid tech-deathcore record, head and shoulders above most of its peers, but the competition is not necessarily fierce.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026

Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?

Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.

Slay Utterly by Carrion Vael

Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.

Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.

Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026