Mind Equals Blown

Veil of Maya broke out onto the deathcore scene with 2008′s The Common Mans Collapse, which helped them build a massive fan base, and prove, to many critics of the genre, that there was hope yet.  Deathcore is an over-saturated unoriginal market with endless cookie cutter bands that put out the same song a million different times…and this is coming from a fan of the genre. With that being said, there are always a few good eggs amongst mountains of shit. Veil of Maya has previously proven to us that they are able to create something worth listening to on The Common Mans Collapse, but can they do it again with their latest album [id]?

Well…yes and no. Essentially [id] is The Common Mans Collapse 2.0, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you were a fan of their sophomore release, you will be a fan of this one for sure…but if you we waiting for them to raise the bar, you will most likely be disappointed. The album is filled with intense riffs, heavy breakdowns, and a few sharp solos all while maintaining and building upon that chaotic sound they are known for. They stick to the same exact formula as their previous record and don’t progress much as songwriters.

Veil of Maya does experiment with some funky guitar sounds throughout the album, and when combined with the synths, adds an interesting exciting mix. I would’ve loved for them to have invested more time into experimenting with these sounds. As expected, (id) is packed full of breakdowns. Both interludes are essentially minute-long chug fests, without much variety among them. It seems like the band had a few solid ideas sketched out and just wrote a handful of breakdowns to fill in the gaps.

Veil of Maya may not be the saviors of deathcore as many have proclaimed. (id), while being a strong record overall, misses the expectations many held for the band.  Overall (id) is worth checking out if you’re a fan, but don’t expect it to convert you.

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