KARDASHEV
Alunea METAL BLADE
Arizona’s ‘deathgaze’ practitioners broaden their scope
Fronted by popular YouTuber Mark ‘Kardavox’ Garrett, Kardashev claim to be the innovators of ‘deathgaze’. The Arizonans wielded their sound to devastating effect on 2022’s Liminal Rite, and aimed to go more progressive when making its follow-up. With the increased scope, they amplify the sorrow of their clean passages and the anger of their metallic blasts, with the jumps between the two hitting especially hard. Alunea also boasts the richest, fullest production of this band’s career. Mark’s voice benefits most from the upgrade, his full gamut of extreme vocals – he screams, growls and squeals with equal ease – and his beautifully agonised singing both shining through. When he desperately but melodically wails atop Seed Of The Night’s torrenting percussion, Kardashev have never sounded as emotional or essential.