HELMS ALEE
STILLICIDE (SARGENT HOUSE)
CD 6 panel Digipak. LP in embossed gatefold jacket + DL. "wonderfully sticky pop-metal" Pitchfork // The Washington state trio of Ben Verellen (guitar, vocals), Dana James (bass, vocals), and Hozoji Margullis (drums, vocals) deliver the kind of expertly crafted, dynamic, nuanced, and diverse songwriting that is both instantly engaging and-as evidenced by their previous albums Night Terror (2008), Weatherhead (2011), and Sleepwalking Sailors (2014)-increasingly gratifying after years of repeated listens.
With Stillicide, Helms Alee continue their sonic tradition of blending heavy riffs, dark guitar pop, and math rock into songs that are at turns brutal, anthemic, and cerebrally engaging..
Bolstered by the recording and production expertise of Kurt Ballou at God City Studios, Stillicide is not only the group's strongest collection of songs, it is arguably their best sounding release to date.
The heavier moments are that much more oppressive; their melodic angles are that much more beguiling, and the juxtaposition between Verellen's patriarchal roar and the siren song vocals of James and Margullis is that much more exhilarating