Review: May The Tempest 'Rise To Remain'
May The Tempest ‘Rise To Remain’ Album Artwork
May The Tempest are a band that has not been around the block for a long time but are quickly proving right out of the gate that within the metalcore genre you need to make an impression that's engaging and will get people talking. The German band started making quick work of the scene overseas back in 2020, headlining shows with bands such as AnneisOkay last summer.
The band would then take that momentum and start work on their first few singles, which would result in the heavy masterpiece you see today, Rise To Remain.
Far from being your standard metalcore band, May The Tempest takes conventional metalcore instrumental ideas and further develops them with beautiful atmospherics and technical percussive energies. While the album gets things going with "Different" and "Gravity," the real gems of the album don't show through until we hit "Vacant."
A track that stands out among the rest from start to finish, "Vacant" places itself ahead of the rest. With splashes of atmospheric touches, pulsative-aggressive guitar work throughout, transformative vocal work, and breakneck percussion that seems to run together seamlessly, it's one of the best tracks on the record.
Another breakout hit on Rise To Remain is "Monotony." A prismatic track that is instrumentally diverse and with drum work that is absolutely out of this world, "Monotony" again takes us to another place entirely. Where "Vacant" is already heavy enough instrumentally in itself, "Monotony," tells us "We can go heavier."
We then have "Nowhere," another track riddled with atmospheric beatitude and an infectious yet playful back and forth between the drums and the melodic punchiness of the guitar riffs.
Rise To Remain is more than a fantastic display of brilliantly written guitars and percussive sections. Dig a bit deeper, and it's an emotional lyrical heavy-hitter that showcases a relationship at its end, and the aftermath that comes with it. These feelings are not only embellished within well-written lyrics but are thoughtfully put together instrumentally with the use of aggressively tuned guitars, impactful drum work, and melancholic synths. If you are into metalcore that strives to change things up while keeping lyrical substance in mind, this is the release for you.