Counting Days are relative newcomers, having only formed in 2014, but are something of an underground ‘supergroup’, containing alumni of TRC, Last Witness and Architects, among others. For their debut full-length they’ve dialled up the ‘heavy’, with a much more metallic sound than the hardcore that most of their members’ former bands are known for.
Opener ‘Burned By Faith’ is a real statement of intent, charging out of the blocks with breakneck drumming and throat shredding vocals from the excellent Thomas Debaere (formerly of Heights), who screams the chorus as if his life depends on it, before settling into a metalcore groove and ending with an ambient outro which allows a chance to catch breath after such a frenetic opening.
The pace does not let up from here on in, as recent single ‘Die Alone’ is all syncopated riffing and a vocal trade off of the lines “nobody wants to die alone” and “death is coming”. A violin solo midway through the song, while something of a surprise on such an overtly metal album, adds real atmosphere, while some subtle guitar lines provide a hint of melody amongst the din.
The massive riffs keep coming as the album progresses, further melody being hidden amongst the wall of guitars and preventing the album from becoming too one dimensional, while the vocals continue to spit venom, and the metallic beatdowns betray the band’s hardcore roots.
Title track and album centrepiece ‘Liberated Sounds’ owes a huge debt to metalcore trailblazers While She Sleeps, with its two-step riff and gang vocals, and is the standout track on the album, with a memorable chorus made for audiences to shout along to in the live arena.
‘Fire From The Sky’ is built on another sledgehammer riff, which nods towards the Scandinavian melodeath scene, containing neat twin guitar interplay and Debaere’s ever impassioned vocals, as he screams “the world burns…”. Some virtuoso guitar soloing showcases the band’s musical chops and shows there is more to them than just bludgeoning heaviness.
A short instrumental interlude provides a brief respite from the riffing, breaking the album up nicely, but such relief is only temporary, as a Slipknot style intro and another beatdown herald the start of ‘Sands of Time’. Closing track ‘Reunion’ continues the melodeath worship and maintains the relentless pace the band have set from the start, before a chimed guitar outro brings proceedings to a close.
Counting Days have crafted an exciting modern metal album, which, without reinventing the wheel, contains enough interesting flourishes to make it stand out from the pack. The relentless riffs, while among the heaviest to be heard this year, contain enough ideas and inventiveness to keep them fresh and interesting, while the jewel in the band’s crown is Thomas Debaere, who delivers an extraordinary performance, full of passion, aggression and rage. With the right backing they could easily join Architects, While She Sleeps et al at the top table of the British metal scene. This will certainly do for starters.
TOM DANIEL