It’s that time of the year when everyone in our deranged community swallows a pack of stimulants and tries to assemble an end-of-year list. Because why not? Why not put yourself through this absurd stress right when you’re (hopefully) on holiday? Anyway, in another attempt to procrastinate this thankless task, I’m reviewing Druparia’s The River Above. I’m feeling generous, and a unsigned band releasing a debut at the end of the year feels fitting for the season. Let’s go—I have a Christmas dinner to eat!
I’ll use a simple way to describe Druparia: it’s a nastier, more underground version of old Sylosis or The Black Dahlia Murder. There’s a ton of urgency, created by melodies that demand you start headbanging immediately. The album boasts technical proficiency that doesn’t overstep or detract from the music itself. The River Above also offers a variety of tracks that keep your attention intact across its eleven-song runtime.
What I like most is how it sounds almost sentimental at times. But don’t worry—this isn’t overly corny Power/MeloDeath Metal. It’s still serious enough to aim at melting faces. It’s fun, but serious fun. Druparia takes all the tropes of American MeloDeath and, instead of veering into the cringe territory of “Melodic Deathcore”, manages to deliver respectable MeloDeath that feels both familiar and fresh. I suspect the band’s broad range of influences has a lot to do with that. Just listen to “Firmament…And The Renewal” and try to keep track of how much is happening there!
Is there anything I don’t like? Well, this is awkward, especially at this time of the year when I’m just feeling generous (didn’t you notice the sheer number of year-end lists dropping? So many presents!). The album is safe MeloDeath, Anglo-style. Even though it avoids heavy “Core” influences, I wouldn’t call it a huge surprise or a reinvention of the genre. That said, it’s executed beautifully. Or maybe my only gripe is that the middle of the album doesn’t feel as strong as the beginning, and especially not as strong as the end. But hey, that’s not a dealbreaker, right?
I believe Druparia has the potential to become an influential band in this niche of extreme Metal. It certainly has the riffs for it. I mean, it made me put my breakfast on hold on a holiday to finish writing this. Do you know how hard it is to make a Swede (me!) work on a holiday? That should be the only reason you need to give The River Above a chance! This might be my last new review of 2024, but fear not—we’ll have more end-of-year lists to come!
Label: Self-released (get them a label now!)
Release date: 27 December 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/druparia/
Country: USA
Score: Swimming across a filthy river, or 3.7/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 