Allegaeon have long existed in that delicate space between consistency and complacency, and The Ossuary Lens finds them once again proving that familiarity doesn’t have to mean stagnation. In a genre where deviation can alienate and repetition can dull the blade, the Colorado band remain remarkably adept at refining their identity without sanding off its sharper edges. This record doesn’t reinvent Allegaeon, but it doesn’t need to—it reinforces why their particular brand of melodic death metal continues to feel rewarding nearly two decades in.
From the opening moments of “Refraction,” which fractures its melody into acoustic fragments before surging into the muscular “Chaos Theory,” the album establishes a sense of motion and, more importantly, enjoyment. Allegaeon sound like a band genuinely having fun within their chosen parameters. Their sound still leans heavily on Swedish influence—echoes of At the Gates’ rasping urgency, Opeth’s pastoral interludes, and Meshuggah’s rhythmic muscle—but it’s all filtered through a voice that’s unmistakably their own.
The return of original vocalist Ezra Haynes adds extra dimension, with his delivery shifting seamlessly between harsh, commanding roars and restrained clean passages. This triple-layered vocal approach gives the songs a dynamic flow that prevents the album’s 45-minute runtime from feeling overly dense. Tracks like “The Swarm” balance speed and precision without slipping fully into sterile tech-death territory, while “Dark Matter Dynamics” uses fingerstyle acoustic guitar to guide the listener into a crushing central riff.
Perhaps the standout is “Wake Circling Above,” which flirts with blackened textures and a rare sung chorus that feels tasteful rather than theatrical. The Ossuary Lens ultimately succeeds because Allegaeon know exactly where they thrive. They don’t overreach, but they don’t coast either—mining familiar ground with enough nuance and energy to keep it endlessly compelling.
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