There’s something foreign, yet oddly familiar about Italian metallers Taster’s Choice’s latest effort, The Rebirth. The group claims to have switched to a “tribal metalcore” sound this time around, but the only tribal part I hear is the occasional bongo hit here and there. Everything else is pretty cut and dry.

The vocals, ably belted by frontman Mister, shift between Ill Nino-like growls, grunts, and screams and Sevendust-ish crooning. Mister’s only departure from that mold? Beat-boxing. He only does it once, but it comes out of left field and caught me completely by surprise. Don’t worry, it doesn’t last long. Guitar duty is split between lead plucker Luke, who carries the more complicated riffs and trills through the songs, and strummer Tommy, the core element behind the brutal chugs and staccato power chords. Their riffs hover between Insolence-level melody and a crushing heaviness akin to Heaven Shall Burn. The drumming is varied and fast paced, and it easily keeps up with what’s going on in the song at the time. The most unique aspects of the band, Izio’s atmospheric and trancey keyboard work and Togno’s “tribal” percussion, are serviceable even if they seem to permeate songs when they are least needed. Still, the special percussion gels well with the drums and the synth is never glaringly obvious behind the guitars, so the work in both areas is pretty solid.

The album’s production is as modern as one can ask for. It’s a bass-heavy mix, focused on maximizing the chugs and bass-drum hits. The guitars adopt the At the Gates sound, a brightly crisp bite atop a mid-heavy treble and reverberating cabinet-mimicking low. The guitars are only muddy when chugging, as it should be. All highs are clear and notes are never lost. Peter’s drums are punchy and have that signature dull-thudding metal bass-drum sound everyone’s come to know and love. Mattia’s bass is so covered by everything else, you wouldn’t know it’s there. The only real complaint I have is the easily detectable auto-tuning applied to Mister’s voice. The popular effect is lost amongst the heavier chaos of the early songs, but when the band goes soft, especially on the title track, the robotic pitch shifting nearly ruins it. I’m sick and tired of hearing doctored voices.

Had this album released in the late 90’s, it would have been immediately labeled Nu-Metal. Now that I’ve gotten that horrendous fact out of the way, I will say this. Taster’s Choice is unique (and heavy) enough to burst from that mold. Yes, you will hear Sevendust, Ill Nino, and Insolence around every audible corner on this record, but you’ll also hear Heaven Shall Burn, Bury Your Dead, and the slightest hint of the Gothenburg greats. If you’re feeling up to a melodically heavy time, give Taster’s Choice’s The Rebirth a spin.

3.5/5