Death Awaits by Blind Equation

Review written by Small Fish

DEATH AWAITS by Blind Equation is a fast-paced and emotion-driven album that blends aspects of metalcore and cybergrind. The album hits the ground running with “death awaits,” a fast-paced and intense opening song. This high energy follows throughout the rest of the album. The musical style of Death Awaits is distinct and memorable. The instrumentals are bright electronic tracks backed by rapid, insistent drums. The vocal fry used by the lead singer, James Mchenry, conveys a sense of frantic desperation, almost sounding like a personal rant at times. All of these elements come together to create an emotional and musical experience.

Most songs sound very similar and flow into each other, but this is not a deficit to Death Awaits. The songs’ continued melodic and tonal themes give the impression of a symphony of connected musical and lyrical themes.

Lyrically, DEATH AWAITS touches on themes of feeling irreversibly changed by past experiences and a loss of self. The lyricism cuts deep and personal. The raw nature of the vocals combined with the lyrics causes the songs to feel extremely candid and natural, almost like listening to personal readings from someone’s diary.

When first listening to this album, the lyricism affected me deeply. McHenry’s expression of loss and grief from his previous experiences spoke to me. I found myself relating to his fear of losing himself due to constant loss. I think that’s where this album shines. This album expresses feelings many of us have in a natural and relatable way. It feels almost as if it’s confiding in us, and reassuring us that we are not alone through these emotions.

DEATH AWAITS is a high-energy experience packed into a 29-minute album. It’s an amazing album for those who enjoy emotion-driven cybergrind music or for those who want an intense album with a moving and personal message.