Album Review: Red Handed Denial - Redeemer

When it started out, metalcore was created to be the perfect take on modern metal. It fused together everything that made metal appealing to the various stripes of fans; the heaviness, the aggression, and the sing-along melodies that can turn live shows into communal experiences. That first wave of bands was offering something for everyone, but like most things, it got ruined as time went on. The generation that followed was influenced by metalcore only, and as you would expect, they watered down the sound and made the music less appealing. Few of the modern metalcore bands I've had the opportunity to listen to are able to find the melodic edge that made the genre stand out as the next big thing. So how does one move into the future without destroying the past?

You ask Red Handed Denial.

With this record, they have staked out the future of that kind of metal, whether the old genre tag applies anymore or not. Their sound is crushingly heavy, densely packed, and still balanced out with wonderful melodic moments. While the old sound was one combining alternative rock with Gothenberg death metal, Red Handed Denial takes it a step further by fusing catchy hooks with instrumentals that at times border on deathcore. It's shocking how music this heavy and technical can still serve as a base for choruses that can stick in your head. I've heard enough attempts and failures to do just that, to the point I was almost convinced it couldn't be done.

The singles "Clockwork" and "Empire" are what convinced me I needed to hear this record. "Clockwork" is a bit like an old mechanism, with guitars weaving in and out of each other, never stopping or slowing down. There is more playing going on than can be heard at first glance, hitting on circular harmonies and djent rhythms. All the while, Lauren Babic plays both the devil and angel on your shoulder. He screaming and guttural vocals are ugly in the best way, while she has an ear for simple melodies that stick I'm impressed by. This isn't the sort of record I would immediately be drawn to, but her performance is undeniable, and elevates the record well above their competitors.

I don't particularly like the term for music, but "Redeemer" is what you could call state-of-the-art metal. It uses an old formula, but the components are still shrink-wrapped as they get put together. The instrumental prowess of the band is impressive, flashing technical playing and off-kilter grooves as if it's nothing. On "The Art Of Bargaining" alone, they cycle through finger-blistering lead playing, a stuttering polyrhythm, and a melodic section that could almost have been a descendant of Iron Maiden. There's always some new wrinkle to their sound being added in, keeping things from becoming one trick repeated again and again.

"Redeemer" is a concept album telling the character's story as they make their way through limbo, and towards their afterlife. That works as a metaphor for the record, because it strikes me as a bridge between the mainstream and the underground of metal. The two are so often completely divorced, yet Red Handed Denial is a band that can bring them together. They have a unique ability to make the most modern sounds appealing to someone like me, who usually is turned off by that style. Ironically, I said the same thing the first time I heard "The End Of Heartache" back in the day. "Sins Of Yesterday" doesn't soar the same way "A Bid Farewell" did, but the appeal is much the same. It's three blistering minutes that coalesce around a hook that will endure.

"Worse For Wear" is a standout, with guitars that are far more upbeat that the rest of the record, and vocals that are clean for almost the entirety of the song. It goes a long way to showing the diversity the band can lay claim to. They can overwhelm with power, or win you over with something far more mainstream. You'll note the record gets 'softer', and cleaner as the second half unfolds, as I assume the protagonist is entering Heaven. The story would necessitate fewer harsh vocals, and Lauren does what the narrative requires, rather than put herself above what the songs are trying to convey. That is a mature attitude a lot of singers wouldn't be comfortable embracing.

That leaves us to render judgment. "Redeemer" is an album I found highly impressive. Red Handed Denial were abel to take a style that isn't my usual deal, and turn it into something I was excited to hear. Their music is challenging, but there's great reward for giving them a chance. "Redeemer" is one of the rare concept albums where the main story points can be felt in the shifting music, but more than that it just works as a thoroughly modern metal record. Red Handed Denial has a lot of appeal here.