Save Your Last Breath is a Swiss metalband from Zürich, formed in 2011. Initially their sound was located in the metalcore area as you can hear on their EP “Carry Me Home” which came out in 2014. Powerful breakdowns, atmospheric guitar melodies and rhythmic riffs summed up their music, as they describe it themselves. They claim that it all shifted in a heavier/darker direction as they were writing their debut album “Torn Of Aeon”. Blackened metalcore is the result of Save Your Last Breath’s style change.
The album begins with an intro called ‘Visions’, menacing with slowly building guitar. Then it flows fluently to the first real track ‘Abdicate’ with brutal screams and blastbeats and it is immediately clear that there are surely black metal influences. But then again also with the mandatory deathcore parts and some pigsqueels . Did I mention that this track is really brutal?
‘Don’t Look Back’ reminds me of the chaotic metalcore that MyChildren MyBride used to play on their first album “Unbreakable”. Interspersed with calm acoustic moments only to break through in absolute mayhem again.
The next song ‘Exitium’ was the first track that was released of the album and they also shot a video for this song. Exitium is a Latin word for destruction, and that describes the song perfectly, although there are some highly melodic parts in this song. A true beauty. And to stay in the Latin song titles ‘Tempus Vincit Omnia’ means time conquers all. This is an instrumental track and I can listen to it over and over again, it never gets boring. A short but awesome composition. A point of relaxation at the album but with heavy parts. ‘Your Greed’ has more that typical metalcore feeling to it. With some interesting experimental guitar parts where we can hear the skill of the guitarplayers in the solo’s. Off course the breakdowns are not lacking. But it is not overdone. This goes for the whole album.
‘Aftermath’ has a rather long intro that gets you excited for what is about to come…. Up-tempo blastbeats and a song that leans more toward deathcore. The same applies even more for ‘Martyr’, I am talking about some serious deathcore here! But again with black elements.
And if you think that after all that violence you can take a breath?, think again… No the album rages forth with a never ending energy in the song ‘Hollow’, although this song also has it’s calmer parts, even with spoken word after which comes a part that gives me goosebumps. Heavy but passionate.
We hear some piano through all the intensity at ‘Hell In Me’, somehow this song could also be written by Betraying The Martyrs, and I mean that as a compliment.
Unfortunately we have reached the last song of the album ‘On The Run’, this is the longest song on the album and has more groove to it than the other ones. This is a heavy song with more metal elements but, again, with a groove that gets you moving. When it approximately reaches the four minute mark there is silence for, about, thirty seconds. Then the song picks up again with some eastern/oriental sounds to break into fury again for the last time….
What can I say? My conclusion about this album is: Passionate, intens, brutal and sensitive that is what Save Your Last Breath’s “Torn Of Aeon” is for me. Do yourself a favor and buy this album!!
Why is this band still unsigned??
Rating: 8.5/10
Written by: René Woning
Track list:
1. Visions
2. Abdicate
3. Don’t Look Back
4. Exitium
5. Tempus Vincit Omnia
6. Your Greed
7. Aftermath
8. Martyr
9. Hollow
10. Hell In Me
11. On The Run
Band members:
Vocals: Thierry Oliver
Guitar: Dominik Osterwalder
Guitar: Moritz Hauser
Drums: David Eckert
Bass: Patrik Müller
Discography:
“Cary Me Home” EP (2014)
“Torn Of Aeon” (2016)
Record label: Unsigned, December 2016
Weblinks: Facebook / Website / Twitter / Instagram
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Video for ‘Exitium’
Video for ‘Martyr’