The Offering is a heavy metal band based out of Boston. The quartet released their first self-titled EP with five tracks in 2017. The band has been set to blend modern heavy metal with traditional metal elements. From the start the Offering called people's attention and endorsement. So much so that their debut EP was already released via Century Media Records. Almost two years later they are bringing their full-length debut HOME which was produced by Nishad George and mixed by Fredrik Nordstrom.
After a few spins of these eight tracks in 52 minutes effort, I could not conclude what genre those guys fit. Since I actually don't care, I just refer to them as progressive modern metal. Their bio gives a bit more info: "the group is blending old school flavor with modern brutality to bring a new bold personality to the metal community". On the modern side, there's some Djent, Nu-Metal and Metalcore but somehow that's combined with power, traditional and thrash metal elements. And yes, progressive metal of course. Let me put like this, it's like Devin Townsend joined Slipknot and they decided to cover Exciter and Periphery. In theory it doesn't make sense, but they pulled it off amazingly well.
HOME opens with "Waste Away" featuring a Nu-Metal intro sound but it turns into a crushing thrash metal guitar riff and then verse. Throughout the song the Offering balance between the modern and old school. There’s a great melodic guitar solo at the end leading to some dissonant sounds to close it, very unusual way to finish a song these days. This closing blends into the fantastic track two and single "Lovesick". The song starts with a guitar riff that could be on a Symphony X album. It’s the most power/traditional metal song on the album but still heavily fused with Nu-Metal and Metalcore. "Ultraviolence" and "A Dance with Diana" are the most Slipknot meets Rob Zombie songs on the album. And "Failure (S.O.S)" is another highlight of aggressive speed metal. Singer Alex Richichi displays an impressive vocal range during the whole album, but specially in the epic closer and title track. This epic 14-min genre bending journey is Devin Townsend on steroids. The song while great brings up one of the only complains I have about the album, it shows that the Offering has even more potential than displayed on the previous seven tracks.
I love good modern metal bands like the Offering that sound nothing like older bands and yet use metal elements that I learned to love over the years. If I want to listen to Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden or Metallica, I have their albums. I don't need new bands refurbishing the classics. The Offering does genre gymnastics like very few bands can do it and yet were able to create a signature sound with brutality, sing along melodies, fist pumping guitar riffs, headbanging grooves and complex arrangements. From the thrash nu metal extravaganza opener “Waste Away” to the epic 14-minute title track, HOME is intelligent, vigorous, uncompromisingly fresh and addictive. So far the best debut album of 2019.
SCORE: 85/100
DR: 7
Genre: Progressive Modern Metal
Released by Century Media on August 2nd, 2019
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