Next up in our ONE TO WATCH series is the rebellious and malevolent sounds of Swedish Death Metallers MARA, and their latest single Nightbound.
The track instantly explodes with a fury of high paced guitars, clambering drums and a deathly cry that entrenches itself deep within your soul right from the off. A lead guitar signals its war cry before the riffs hit with bitter cold force and technical vividness. The energy and power of this track beats you to a pulp, with screams of Nightbound ringing in your ears. It’s not long, however, before the track takes a sinister twist and breaks down into an Opeth inspired plucked passage that’s all the time leaden with a deep and dark bass line. As the paces gathers momentum once more, you’re adorned with some hair-raising guitar solos that swirl and corkscrew through the rhythm guitar sections, even sidestepping into a sick yet slick bass solo. From here on, you’re catapulted through a catacomb of night terrors and head trips that stay with you long after the track has ended.
Death Metal has never sounded so fresh and ferocious, and its refreshing to hear that deliberate nod to the titans of the nineties thrown in for good measure. MARA have a bright future ahead, that’s for sure, especially when you hear extreme metal played with such technical flair and prowess. With no imminent release date for an album, be sure to keep an eye on future single releases down the track.