BARN
Habitat
(self-financed)
67:12min

Five kids in their late teens put together a very important Death Metal album and it’d be criminal to not review this! Again, I forget how I came across this, I think it was a thread in Reddit where the post creator said they’d be annoyed if BARN didn’t get big. I didn’t think much of it but the name stuck with me because I recently read a graphic novel with some incredible artwork with a barn being at the centre of the plot. Anyway, here we are at “Habitat”, album # 2 from Idaho based (Technical) Death Metal act BARN who have put together an incredibly solid slab of Death Metal for your consideration. “Habitat” somehow doesn’t feel modern, it feels jazzy like CYNIC, technical like DEATH with added elements (particularly drumming) from Flo era CRYPTOPSY. I know, I know, I just listed three bands that are perhaps, the most compared-to bands in the history of genre but BARN do true justice to those comparisons. The closest reference I can think of is that BARN is the raw version of VIRVUM and they need some more time to hone their craft. However, in my opinion it is this very rawness that is the best part about the band. BARN’s sound doesn’t engulf the entire atmosphere, it isn’t your traditional 2022 caveman shroud, they rather give space to each of the instruments to do their thing. I can hear all the lads in the band and that itself feels refreshing! The riffs are catchy and the bass underneath crawls all over the aforementioned riffs like a centipede on a mission. There are some obvious pieces from the production standpoint that I want to point out but frankly looking at it holistically I don’t care. Looking at the music in totality, BARN is relentless in the rhythm department, the solos are mental and satiate all needs for killer guitar work. Additionally, BARN also incorporates killer CYNIC’ish pieces in their songs that are simply amazing! Go support these kids so they can write more music and perform at your nearest pub (hopefully they can all get in, I don’t know how young is the youngest member of the band). Anyway, check them out here and give them your $$$, they’ve surely earned it! I wonder who will pick them up and re-issue this widely on physical media. I’m quite excited for them! For more information, please visit: https://barnband.bandcamp.com and https://linktr.ee/barnboise

Vamsi Kanagovi

Vamsi Kanagovi

Leave a Reply