Tundra conjures up images of a frigid northern climate that would be just perfect for some icy black metal. A black metal band from the frozen north with vikings and maybe forests and caves with large mountains to boot. Now, I am out of the tundra and into Scandinavia. That would fit really well, but that is not what we have. From Topeka, Kansas in the United States’ heartland, which does not bear much resemblance to the tundra or Scandinavia, comes a deathcore quartet lauding their debut album on Rottweiler Records.

There is not a lot of Tundra lore that I could find, besides some basic facts: formed in 2019, self-released an EP and album, performed live shows which caught the attention of Rottweiler. Knowing that they are signed with Rottweiler, I am expecting a level of heaviness leaning on extreme metal with a Christian perspective. The promo material claims the band is for fans of Desolate Tomb, which gives clear expectations.

The album opens not with a roar or a blast beat fusillade, but an intimate, unsettling, fragile and unnerving song featuring a clean sing-song melody and low rumbly bass with ethereally dissonant synth. The grotesque juxtaposition of the young clean vocals and the dissonance is a scary combo for me, but the vulnerability in the vocals is almost a little too much. After subsequent listens, I latched on to the melody with its probing lyrics aimed at the listener’s subconscious.

“Alone” fades into the real deathcore opener, “Welcome to Hell.” Tritone-infused heavy guitars, death vocals and more ethereal synth make the first taste of deathcore quite unique. The heavy vocals oscillate between an exacting death style and a nearly unhinged screaming. It is impressive that Morgan is the solitary vocalist in the band. The breakdown brings forward the musical motives from “Alone,” connecting the songs in a broader narrative. The outro makes use of another prevalent Tundra element with the electronic drum kit and plonking synth, giving an industrial-bordering-horror feel.

“The Pit” brings the tempo down a notch as they stumble into a pretty neat grooving tune. The dual vocals between death and screamo work well in its nu-metal swagger. The band turns it up for “The Witch” in a brutal beatdown showcasing Louis’ intense drumming and Patrick’s bendy guitar riffs supported by Steven’s bass foundation. The lead work on this track, as well as other times, feels a little clunky and not as natural as the riffwork. This may be inexperience where practice will help or possibly pulling in a full-time lead axeman.

“Smoke and Mirrors” is Tundra’s version of a ballad. The clean vocals come back with an unadorned melody that isn’t as intimate as “Alone.” There are softer elements like strings and sweeter harmonies, but I felt that the rhythmic heavy elements broke up the mood that was being set. Sustained chords would have done well, but maybe not brutal enough to be called deathcore. “Hostage” shows how well the band knows their metalcore roots with their rhythms and frenetic guitar work. The mix unfortunately makes the heavy riffing a little messy, where I would have liked more definition.

I instantly loved “911.” It is an instrumental that organically morphs using dissonant chords and synths that accompany an emergency telephone call to a number not in service. Its quirkiness is oddly refreshing. “Undead” is another good example of the band’s edgy deathcore style and “Insane” shows the band moving into slower brutal slam territory. I enjoyed the somber oasis in the middle of the song.

The best songs were kept for last. “Revelation” brings forth a mix of harsh deathcore sensibilities with a grand melodic chorus that blends vocal layers beautifully. “You Are” connects to “Alone” with clean vocals as the resolution of the unsettling beginning, the end of a nightmare. It builds and uses synths in a more consonant setting supporting the song of praise and worship. The heavy fusillade and death vocals make an appearance right at the end before the piano tucks in the album in peaceful resolution.

“Eternal” shows a young band getting their bearings and learning their craft. The songwriting is enjoyable, showing big picture thinking about the album and using the electronic elements to create an edgy atmosphere. The drawbacks are that the ideas aren’t always executed as well as experienced bands. In time, they will get better. For fans of the genre, this is a good release to check out and hopefully the first of a long line of triumphant albums for Tundra.

Rating: 7/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Tracklist
1 – Alone
2 – Welcome to Hell
3 – The Pit
4 – The Witch
5 – Smoke and Mirrors
6 – Hostage
7 – 911
8 – Undead
9 – Insane
10 – Revelation
11 – You Are

Tundra is:
Morgan – vocals
Steven – bass
Louis – drums
Patrick – guitar

Release Date: April 4, 2025

Record Label: Rottweiler Records

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp

Video for Revelation

Lyric Video for Welcome to Hell

Video for The Pit

Video for Alone – Stripped Version