Review: A Novelist – Folie

Style: extreme/melodeath/metalcore (mixed vocals)
Review by: Dylan
Country: US-LA
Release date: 08-02-2019

NOTE: This album was originally included in Reports from the (progressive metal) underground: February 2019 – The Progressive Subway

If you check out all the albums I had to review this month, there’s a pattern that indicates that most of them are experimental. Luckily, A Novelist is an exception to this pattern. This is a band that grabbed a guitar, a bass, a drum kit, and just went to town with them. And with that, they fabricated songs that are not only extremely tight, but also really fun to listen to. Do know that the fact that this is not an experimental release does not make it any less progressive, as its fusion of genres and influences is bound to keep you on your toes for every twist and turn.

A Novelist walks between the fine line of melodeath and metalcore, but I’d call them more melodeath. The most noteworthy thing here is the guitar work; it’s always doing something interesting, so much so that even a person not crazy about guitars like me could appreciate it. Frantic percussion akin to what you could find on a Refused record make for varied rhythms all overloaded with groovyness. All the songs are energetic, punchy, catchy, and all around great.

The only downside here is that the album is 57 minutes long, and by the end you get the feeling that they could’ve cut a part of it. Other than that, it’s a nearly flawless record.

Recommended tracks: Acacia Crown, Stockholm Blues
Recommended for fans of: Opeth, Future Corpse, Refused
Final verdict: 8.5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page

Label: Independent

A Novelist is:
– Ben Nugent (guitars, vocals)
– Alex Babineaux (drums)