Allegaeon have released their mind-bending album “Apoptosis” on April 19th.  It took a few weeks for it to sink in, and does it ever get better with every passing listen.  I liked it at first spin, and it’s a grower for me at least.  It didn’t drag me in but kept my interest every time, because I kept noticing more things in their songs I didn’t the previous time so I kept coming back to it.  The guys have worked hard at putting together these extensive songs.  I’ve only been into this band for a few years, so yes I’l admit I’m a n00b with Allegaeon but hey we’re not perfect right? 2016’s “Proponent For Sentience” was my introduction to the band.  Specifically the song “Grey Matter Mechanics”, everything about it.  From the great guitar work, Riley’s vocals and rhythms….oh, and those sweet classical guitar parts.  Ever since then, I’ve checked in on the band randomly to what they’re up to.  And with this new record being an album I can fully submerge in since I knew of them, I really appreciate them more every time I listen to them.  With that said, are you shocked “Colors Of The Currents” is one of my favorites from the album? Probably not.

McShane’s voice stands out in a very, very positive way.  He’s worked hard at improving his vocals, and it really shines here.  He was a part of another great record with his side band Continuum earlier this year.  The guitar work is phenomenal on this album….a bit tame sometimes, and extremely wild when they have to be.  A good mixture of technical and melodic playing is very prevalent on “Apoptosis”, and is the name of the game for Allegaeon.  It’s a pretty good album that definitely won’t go unnoticed.

Another great highlight is the wild bass playing.  That’s another thing that’s peaking my interest, Brandon Michael’s style on bass is absolutely stellar.  This is also his first record with the band since he joined, by the way.  And, you can hear his bass lines!  Mad props to the production team for actually letting the bass stand out on its own somewhere in the mix.  He supplies a lot of great fills and some super challenging parts as well.

Brandon Park’s drumming stands out yet again.  What impresses me in an extreme metal band, he gets around not always using blast beats.  He has a varied style, and can play really quick besides keeping a great groove for their songs.  Park is an impressive drummer with a diverse skill set, and loved hearing him tear it up on “Apoptosis”.

This album is very, very good.  You may not fall in love with it like myself at first listen, but KEEP LISTENING.  You’ll find more melodies, fills, licks and other stuff you may not have heard the first time around.  It’s also not fair to generally give an album one shot through, give it a few tries and not all in the same day!   Listen to new bands and music with fresh ears, it makes a world of a difference…..because it definitely did for me.