Maximum Metal Rating Legend

It feels like 2017 has been the year for black metal releases that leapfrog each other for being the best release so far. 'Into the Grey' is one that will top many people's lists for album of the year and is definitely a strong contender to make my year end list. Playing post-black metal, Nullingroots delivers some serious firepower with the tracks that make up 'Into the Grey'. While the tracks are fairly lengthy, most average over ten minutes, the band does a superb job of making them feel seamless and helping you forget that you're listening to one song. There are elements of Castevet and Deafheaven present on the album but the sound that Nullingroots has culled is a great blend of in your face aggression and subtle, melodic passages. The vocals remain well within the black metal genre and are very well done throughout. The music on 'Into the Grey' is what really caught my attention though. You get a track like "Rust" that starts off with this really doomy sounding riff accompanied by screams and jazzy drumming that gives way to a psychedelic little hook before the black metal comes in and kicks into high gear. The drummer rides the high hats like a beast and then just as quickly as the black metal started, it's replaced by this clean guitar line and some subtle drumming as it winds down to a more melancholic ending. Each song has so much going on that you are so focused on it, you forget that you were just listening to one song. I've heard things I've missed before on my subsequent listens and I love discovering things like that when I go back to an album. Nullingroots have provided us with yet another contender for AOTY with 'Into the Grey' and I see lots of good things coming in the future for this band.