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Ever since the addition of new vocalist Luke Magyar to their ranks in 2014, Veil Of Maya have been a deathcore act transformed. The frontman’s penchant for clean singing on 2015’s Matriarch saw the djent-inclined quintet shift from the ‘brutality 24/7’ approach of many of their contemporaries and instead introduce an emphasis on atmosphere, shifting dynamics and – to the chagrin of many – melodies. False Idol continues in these footsteps. Blending deathcore aggression with rock accessibility, the album’s heaviest moments work to rip-roaring success. The instrumentals, especially Marc Okubo’s guitars, are complex yet taut, and Luke’s guttural growls punctuate the equally massive experimentation. False Idol’s melodic sections, meanwhile, range from unpredictable and emotive on Pool Spray and Doublespeak all the way to the level of high-school butt rock, with clean moments in Manichee and Citadel especially ready to draw the ire of deathcore elitists.

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

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