Hello metalheads!  This is John back with another review for you today.  This EP is called Usurper by Vivid Dark which is yet another ridiculous debut.

If you like fast, melodic and just downright crazy playing from every instrument this is a must listen for you.  The bass in this album really keeps up very well with the guitars as well and but also adds some really nice counter point for more depth of sound.  The vocals on this album are top notch too!  It comes packed with mainly highs and mids, but throws in some low guttural sounds to mix it up.  This Neo-classical death metal had technical nods in every inch of the sound as well.  

The only thing I know from this band is that they are from Baltimore, Maryland.  I can’t wait to see what they do next and start to reveal more.  

The first track that I heard from this band was Daedalus, which even the name of the track made me excited due to the name being tied to Greek mythology.  Right off the bat we are met with sweeping guitar and wild drum fills to start this track off.  After that it comes in with some really fast blast beats and melodic tremolo picking in the guitars.  There is a bit of synth layered in some of the next passage.  The main riff in the verse section is fast and melodic just like this ninety percent of this album.  The guitar solo is beautiful, laid back and melodic with some faster parts.  Then the passage has a quick transition passage before returning to the main riff.  

The stand out track on this album has to be By Deceiver, Beguiled.  Just like their other tracks it is fast, technical and melodic.  The reason I really like it is the main chorus section.  It features some of the best low guttural vocals on the record as well as some of my favorite guitar.  They work so well that it sounds like there are so many more layers of guitar than there are.  The countere point I talked about earlier is played at a masterful level and so pleasing to the ear.  The prechorus is just an absolute shred fest as well! It almost two lead guitars dueling with the bass holding down the main riff.  They also switch this up at the end of the song and have the bass join in the shredding.  

This album is a fantastic debut and technical death metal fans should definitely give this a whirl.  I give this a 8.5/10!  The fantastic displays on every instrument push this way up my ratings along with the vocals being solid as well.  If it were a bit sharper and crisper sounding I would have this rated higher for sure.  This band is for fans of First Fragment, Equipoise, Necrophagist and Somnium de Lycoris. 

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https://vividdark.bandcamp.com/album/usurper