Artist: DETHRXNER
Album: TAUNT
Copenhagen-based band, DETHRXNER, has released their new EP, TAUNT. The album is available for streaming anywhere you get your music.
DETHRXNER is of the metalcore/nu-core/deathcore genre. According to this Masterclass article, “Deathcore is a heavy metal subgenre that merges the hardcore punk energy of metalcore with the challenging instrumental passages and explicit lyrics of death metal. Deathcore is known for its drop tunings, blast beats, guttural vocals, and frequent instrumental breakdowns.”
The band describes themselves as combining the raw energy of heavy hardcore with the flair of modern rap.
Of the album, vocalist Neema Rad says, “TAUNT is the unapologetic version of us. It challenges the listener to question their values and encourages them to overcome whatever is holding them back. The lyrics are filled with themes of self-empowerment, perseverance, and determination in the face of struggle. The EP will hopefully inspire the listeners to take control of their lives, even in the face of adversity.”
TAUNT consists of five tracks: GET GOOD (feat. Andreas Bjulver/CABAL); ALPHA JUSTICE; REAL ONES; STAY COLD (feat. Aaron Matts/ten56.); and POWER (feat. Shaolin G/UnityTx). Music videos for the songs “GET GOOD” and “ALPHA JUSTICE” are available on YouTube.
I will preface this review by saying that deathcore is not my kind of music. At all. Right off the bat DETHRXNER reminds me of all of the other deathcore bands I know, like Bring Me The Horizon, We Butter Our Bread With Butter, Job For A Cowboy, and Suicide Silence. I think DETHRXNER sounds pretty good at what they do—but I’m certainly not the expert on this topic.
I had to look up the lyrics to the songs because I can’t understand a word they’re saying (Singing? Growling? Screaming?), but I’m so glad I did. The lyrics are amazing—vulnerable, raw, and strangely uplifting. In “GET GOOD”, the band sings, “I’m born into struggle/Molded by the pain/Ain’t got time to fumble/I’m tired of being weak/And if I want change, I better believe/I’ve got more in me […] At the end of the day/I want a smile on my face – won’t let myself decay/It’s not about the journey/It’s the pride that just keeps me yearning.”
I also have to say that the music videos are fun and interesting. Both music videos feature a juxtaposition of a pink background with the dark music. In the video for “ALPHA JUSTICE,” the band walks through a beautiful pink field while wearing ski masks and swinging weapons (I’m getting The Purge vibes). In the video for “GET GOOD,” the band performs in a room overflowing with pink balloons, while the lead singer dons a ski mask, wields a gun, and does drugs on the table.
Overall, TAUNT is not an album that I would personally listen to. However, I certainly recognize their talent, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is into the deathcore genre. You can check out DETHRXNER on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
