In the world of metal there are so many bands, it’s hard to do something that hasn’t been done before. It’s hard to stand out from the pack. Band after band goes through unnoticed, even though they have heaps of talent, often more than those that are famous. When I received Antagonist’s latest release World In Decline, I didn’t know what to expect given I had never heard of this quartet from Southern Cali. After reading through the provided info and seeing the “metalcore, thrash, and hardcore” tags, I eagerly started up the album. And by album end, I was left very satisfied. You’ll find yourself bobbing your head to every song. I found myself air-drumming to many of them…I’m not the only one who does that am I? I hope not.

The opening track, “The Bane of Existence”, starts off very typical of all metal albums, with an August Burns Red –ish- like intro guitar riff and drumming pattern. A pleasing melody with various drum fills and blast beats then ensue. All of it was nice to the ears, and nothing very crazy really stood out to me though…until I reached the guitar solo.

Guitar solos are usually a matter of preference. I have seen some people who like them in their metal, and some who don’t. Personally, I dig a sweet guitar solo. If you don’t like guitar solos, you won’t like Antagonist, and probably should stop reading now. If you do, you will love them. I believe every song on “World In Decline” has a guitar solo…and pretty beastly ones if do say so myself. Carlos Garcia and Roland Leonard are extremely talented guitarists, and they show it off well. Sweep picking, melodic, and fast solos. But World in Decline doesn’t stop there. The album picked up the pace quickly. “Sasha Grey” is a fast paced and heavy song that will get you headbanging in an instant. “Disguised in White” reminds me of As I Lay Dying, but not so much that it is distracting. World In Decline is filled with impressive riffs and drum work, perfect for circle pits.

Many bands use breakdowns left and right. Don’t get me wrong, I love breakdowns. A lot. But I absolutely love the way Antagonist incorporates breakdowns into this album. They aren’t used in every song, but are saved and used in perfect moments. It’s like saving the best food on your plate for last. Or eating one piece of candy a day, rather than eating all of them the day you get them. Crappy metaphors? Sorry. What I’m trying to say is, they make their breakdowns special, (see “God of Fire” or “New Human”) rather than overusing them.

I have very few criticisms for World In Decline. If I have to make some, I would say that the vocals can be a tad monotonous. Garcia’s screams don’t go extremely low or high, and are fairly typical sounding. Overlooking that, this is a very solid release. They don’t redefine the genre, but they provide a very satisfying piece to the metal world. Antagonist deserves to be amongst the recognized metal bands, and I believe they have a very promising future ahead of them if they keep doing what they are doing.

4.0/5