Shinto Katana - We Can't Be Saved

entitled 'Playdates With Wolves' bears a resemblance Admittedly, the first two minutes of Shinto Katana's coner sophomore album 'We Can't Be Saved' misled me to believe that this record would have me snoring in my seat. But despite a slow start, I was almost immediately put back in my place. It's abundantly clear that Sydney's heaviest band have exceeded expectations and undoubtedly stepped up their game. With the increasingly difficult task of creating death metal that provides an unrelenting assault of brooding substance whilst maintaining an genuinely innovative approach, Shinto have managed to adapt their sound to keep listeners on their toes.

The second track, entitled 'Playdates With Wolves' bears a resemblance to some of the band’s more technical contemporaries. But don’t be fooled – this record certainly doesn’t hesitate to provide you with the straightforward but obdurately hardhearted breakdowns that we’ve come to expect from Shinto Katana. Although it’s a rarity on this album, some melodic elegance (reminiscent of the band’s previous release 'Cold Streets') can be found throughout the album, most evident in the song 'Sylar'.

There’s no shortage of knuckle-decaying lead guitar, particularly in track six ('The Cure'), a spectacular display of technical proficiency. 'Pedestrian Wasteland' pays homage to the band’s hardcore roots (which reminds me, play ‘The Bond’!). While 'We Can’t Be Saved' definitely confines itself to the boundaries of a solitary resonance, there is unquestionably something for everyone on this record. Shinto coner Katana has once again proven beyond doubt that when it comes to savagely heavy metalcore, they reign supreme.